Authorities have arrested a man near the White House for burning an American flag, only hours after President Trump signed an executive order aiming to crack down on those who desecrate Old Glory.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed to The Hill they detained a person at approximately 6:15 p.m. Monday in Lafayette Park “for igniting an object” and turned the person over to the U.S. Park Police, which has jurisdiction.
The Park Police said it arrested one person in the park at about 6:30 p.m., citing a violation of 36 CFR 2.13(a)(1), which prohibits fire in public parks, except in designated areas.
The Park Police declined to identify the person, saying such information isn’t publicly available until charges are formalized through court.
According to video published by The Bulwark, the man identified himself as a veteran with more than 20 years of service in the U.S. Army and said he was “burning this flag as a protest to that illegal fascist president that sits in that house,” gesturing toward the White House.
“I fought for every single one of your rights to express yourself in however you feel that you may want to express yourself. There’s a First Amendment right to burn the American flag,” the man said into a bullhorn, adding, “No president can make a law, period.”
Trump signed an executive order Monday directing the attorney general to prosecute cases where individuals “desecrate” the flag by identifying state and local laws they may have violated. Trump’s order also directs administration officials to terminate or revoke visas if foreign nationals are found to have desecrated the flag. (RELATED: Trump To Sign Executive Order Against Desecration Of American Flag)
A landmark 1989 Supreme Court ruling established that burning the American flag is protected under the First Amendment.
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Ya gotta wonder if he was just doing what awols tim was screeching about and how fast someone would have been arrested for burning that ‘palestinian’ flag that was flying nearby.
Vet or not, lock his a$$ up!
As a veteran with 38 years of service in the armed services I think someone needs to remind this idiot, who also happens to be a veteran, that President Trump was legally elected. He won both the popular and the electoral college vote. What part of the democratic process doesn’t he understand. If he really believes in the democratic process all he has to do is sway enough of the legitimate voters of this country to vote for the candidate he supports for President the next time the vote for a President happens in November of 2028. This is what happens when uninformed people buy into the lies that the Radical Left side of the Democratic Party is pushing. They truly want it both ways. If they win then the vote was legal. When they don’t win then they can do anything they want, to include breaking the law, to take back the power they lost. I understand a lot of people want to say wait a minute the Republican Party did the same thing back on January 6th, 2021. But here’s the difference. In reality what happened that day was a riot, not an insurrection. The people there that day didn’t want to take over the government, they just wanted the Congress not to certify the vote until a real investigation of voter fraud was conducted. Whether such fraud occurred has still not been adequately addressed. A question of the legitimacy of that election in 2020 that would have been accomplished by a bi-partisan investigation was all the people wanted the answer to. The problem with the Democrats is that the question of a legal election is not the problem. The problem this time is that the Democrats just didn’t like the results and think that democracy only is something they get to have and uphold if they win the election. If they don’t win, then they think anything goes to regain control of the government.
Is this guy a real veteran or just a fake demonrat? If he was a veteran, then he was a traitor. He is so stupid doesn’t understand what the meaning of the freedom of speech. He should be in jail for couple years.
This moron was in the Army for 20 years. It looks and sounds like he was forced out of the Army. He had to be a marginal Soldier. I am a Marine for life, so I see the flag as an honor to be an American. If he were any Soldier, he would respect our flag That is the same flag thet went up every day and he mudst have been one of the people that runs inside when it is colors I can only say he is a piece of garbage He is trying to get back at the country that wronged him for being a fat blob piece of shit As a Marine I will not tolorate the flag being disresoected They probably won’t keep him in jail lobg he will cost to much to feed his fat ass