Trump signs order to criminally charge those who burn US flag in protest | Donald Trump
Donald Trump signed a decree on Monday to ask federal prosecutors to pursue criminal charges against people who burn American flags during demonstrations.
The order said to the American prosecutor general, Pam Bondi, to look at cases where people have burned flags and see if they can be accused of other crimes like disturbing peace or breaking environmental laws.
It is Trump’s attempt to bypass a decision of the Supreme Court of 1989, when the Court ruled 5-4 in Texas against Johnson that the destruction of the flag is a protected political expression under the first amendment.
This court’s decision rejected burning laws in 48 states and clearly indicated that people had the right to burn flags as a means of expressing their political opinions.
“Throughout the country, they burn flags,” said Trump in the oval office on Monday when he signed the order. “Everyone, they burn the American flag, and as you know, thanks to a very sad court, I suppose it was a 5-4 decision, they called him freedom of expression.
Trump also said “you burn a flag, you get a year in prison” because he signed the decree, but the order itself does not include details on a potential prison sentence.
Trump has long pleaded for the criminalization of the flag burning. In 2016, he posted on social networks: “No one should be authorized to burn the American flag – if they do, there must be consequences – perhaps the loss of citizenship or the year of prison!”
Most Americans tend to agree with Trump on this issue. The surveys conducted by Yougov in 2020 have shown that almost half of Americans support the destruction of the illegal flag, while about a third believe that it is allowed. An updated Yougov survey from September 2023 revealed that 59% of Americans are now planning to burn an American flag during “still unacceptable” demonstrations.
