A man was arrested for setting fire to an American flag in a federal park outside the White House on Monday, just hours after President Trump signed an executive order seeking to crack down on those who burn the flag.
The U.S. Secret Service told 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.
A landmark 1989 Supreme Court ruling established that burning the American flag is protected under the First Amendment.
Trump’s executive order prompted some backlash, including from notable figures on the right, who criticized the move as unconstitutional.
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