Ever arresting someone for burning the flag?

[retdetsgt]

Yeah, we could arrest for reckless burning or some other chippy arson charge. It would never stick in court probably, but we could cause them some inconvenience.

[kels]

to leave..........................

Then when the 911 call for an ambulance is paged,
I will come back and help load the idiot.

I am pretty sure that some nice GI or Marine will
help the idiot see the error in his ways.

I doubt the battery report will make it past the County Attorneys trash can.

[CTUCop]

In CT, it would be a protected form of "free speech". As an on-duty officer, I don't know how I would handle it if anyone did it in my presence...... and probably shouldn't post my possible responses in public anyway. That may be used against me as a sign of premediation should I inadvertately violate someone's rights.

[Ghost 1]

I'd arrest for Disordely Conduct. The person in question did willingly an act that caused alarm or outrage in public view. ;)

[Ranger__101]

I sure would like to do something but since there have been several cases that say that buring the flag is free speech I don't want to get in the middle of an legal argument.

If I did arrest some one, they could claim that I volated their civil rights since they were "expressing their freedom of speach".

Personally I just can't see why people who burn flags can't find a better way to express their feelings than buring a national symbol.

I think they all should read the guidelines on display of the US flag and they would see that it's not permitted to desecrate the flag in the first place. Just too bad that those guidelines are not codified in federal law.

[scott715us]

I sure would like to do something but since there have been several cases that say that buring the flag is free speech I don't want to get in the middle of an legal argument.

If I did arrest some one, they could claim that I volated their civil rights since they were "expressing their freedom of speach".

Personally I just can't see why people who burn flags can't find a better way to express their feelings than buring a national symbol.

I think they all should read the guidelines on display of the US flag and they would see that it's not permitted to desecrate the flag in the first place. Just too bad that those guidelines are not codified in federal law.

It's on the TN state books, then I'll arrest for it. If it's violating their 1st Amendment rights, then I'll let the attorney's work it out since it's still a law. ;)

[GoDirectly2Jail]

In Virginia:

§ 18.2-486. Definition of flag, standard, etc.

The words flag, standard, color, ensign or shield, as used in this article, shall include any flag, standard, color, ensign or shield, or copy, picture or representation thereof, made of any substance or represented or produced thereon, and of any size, evidently purporting to be such flag, standard, color, ensign or shield of the United States, or of this Commonwealth, or a copy, picture or representation thereof.

§ 18.2-488. Mutilating, defacing, etc.

No person shall publicly burn with contempt, mutilate, deface, defile, trample upon, or wear with intent to defile any such flag, standard, color, ensign or shield.

§ 18.2-490. Penalty.

Any violation of this article shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.