Arson is when you burn something that belongs to someone else. Hate is not something you can regulate in America. If someone wants to buy a flag and burn it, that's their right. Same if they want to buy a Bible or a Koran or Book of Mormon or Origin of Species and burn one of them.
You have every right to destroy your own property, for whatever reason you choose, including, making a political point.
Public nuisance, nah. Nice try. We have a right to protest in public as long as it doesn't cause physical harm to others or their property.
Threat to public safety, possibly.
Polluting air? Maybe depending on the local laws.
Damage to public infrastructure by burning a flag? Pretty sure pavement withstands 4th of the July fireworks just fine and not different here.
Obstructing traffic? Yeah if they do it while obstructing traffic.
But if you can prove that these charges are being tossed about as a way to discourage the free exercise of speech by burning a flag, they'll be rightfully tossed out.
Arson is when you burn something that belongs to someone else. Hate is not something you can regulate in America. If someone wants to buy a flag and burn it, that's their right. Same if they want to buy a Bible or a Koran or Book of Mormon or Origin of Species and burn one of them.
You have every right to destroy your own property, for whatever reason you choose, including, making a political point.
Exactly
Ok. Setting an item ablaze in public is arson. Cut and dry. Simple. Illegal.
Public nuisance. Threat to public safety. Polluting air. Damage to public infrastructure, pavement, etc. Obstructing traffic.
Arrest them for those offenses.
Not arson. If it belongs to you, it's not arson.
Public nuisance, nah. Nice try. We have a right to protest in public as long as it doesn't cause physical harm to others or their property.
Threat to public safety, possibly.
Polluting air? Maybe depending on the local laws.
Damage to public infrastructure by burning a flag? Pretty sure pavement withstands 4th of the July fireworks just fine and not different here.
Obstructing traffic? Yeah if they do it while obstructing traffic.
But if you can prove that these charges are being tossed about as a way to discourage the free exercise of speech by burning a flag, they'll be rightfully tossed out.
Hopefully you're never homeless and burning things in a barrel to keep warm.
Just curious what your thoughts would be about putting a US flag into a giant shredder at a protest.
As long as the protestor was securely connected to the flag and it drags themselves through the wood chipper…approved.