DUBUQUE, Iowa — The City of Dubuque says a tarp hung over the side of the Five Flags Center on Friday, October 31, 2026, was not authorized by the City, and it has since been removed.

In a statement issued October 31, the City said it became aware that evening that a tarp had been hung over the side of the facility. The City said it was not asked whether the exterior of the facility could be modified and did not authorize the tarp.

Five Flags Center is owned by the City of Dubuque and operated by a private management company, Oak View Group, which manages all facility operations and rentals, according to the statement. The facility rental agreement for the Sunday, November 1, event does not include any authority to modify the exterior of the facility, the City said.

The City directed Oak View Group to remove the tarp, and it has been removed, according to the statement.

The tarp had covered the “Solidarity” mural on the building’s eastern facade ahead of President Donald Trump’s rally at the Five Flags Event Center on Sunday, November 1, according to KCRG-TV9 reporting. The mural, painted in 2020, depicts 10 raised fists in a variety of colors with the word “solidarity” spelled out on the wrists.

Trump is scheduled to appear at the Five Flags Event Center on Sunday, November 1, 2026, with doors at 10:30 a.m., the program beginning at 12:30 p.m., and remarks scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

Sources: City of Dubuque statement, “Statement on Tarp Hanging from Five Flags Center,” October 31, 2026; KCRG-TV9 reporting, November 1, 2026.

This one pairs with the earlier mural article — the first covers the covering, this one covers the City saying it wasn’t authorized and is now down.