Man is charged with burning American flag during Washington protest over Netanyahu visit
Man is charged with burning American flag during Washington protest over Netanyahu visit
Federal authorities have charged a man with burning an American flag in the nation’s capital during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July.
Summary
Michael Snow Jr., 24, has been charged with destruction of federal property for burning an American flag during protests against Israeli PM Netanyahu’s July speech to Congress.
Demonstrators, opposing Netanyahu’s stance on the Gaza war, removed flags at Union Station, spray-painted a Columbus monument, and raised Palestinian flags.
Federal authorities claim Snow used lighter fluid to ignite the flag. Cleanup and repairs cost over $11,000.
The protest permit was revoked due to lack of organizer communication.
Charged because he stole the flag he burned. Burning a flag itself is not a crime.
Charged because he destroyed federal property.
Right. That's my point. It wasn't his flag to burn. That's why it was a crime. Destroying a flag that belongs to you isn't against the law.
I thought it was technically a crime, as is wearing it as clothes and dumb shit like that.
Not that I care, fuck the flag, but still… i thought they had laws about that.
It's a common misunderstanding, sadly. Here's a Wikipedia article on a relevant supreme court case. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_v._Johnson
To be extra clear, burning an American flag that you purchase or otherwise own is legal, first-amendment-protected free speech. Burning someone else's American flag is not. This person allegedly took down federally-owned flags and burned them, hence destruction of federal property.
