2w ago

Man is charged with burning American flag during Washington protest over Netanyahu visit

apnews.com 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The protest permit was revoked due to lack of organizer communication.

17 comments

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.
  
  You're probably thinking of the Flag Code, which isn't a law but more of a guideline for how to treat the flag with respect. Many military leaders treat the flag code like it is law, but also have a tendency to pick and choose which parts of the code they enforce.
  
  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.
- And worse, the only reason to not make that clear in the headline is for clicks.
- That's better. The idea that burning a piece of cloth should be a criminal offence is an absolute madness.
  
  The criminal offense here is still burning a piece of cloth.
- Talk about burying the lede!

17 comments