Hi, I just saw the current protests that surged due to Netanyahus speech in the US. I’m just curious to know why the authorities permit them burning the American flag and vandalism of monuments.
How do freedom of speech laws work in the United States and where’s the line drawn to the action one can take when protesting.
My goal isn’t to discuss politics, so abstain from taking the thread to that direction.
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Vandalism of monuments is illegal. If it looks like it is being permitted, the mostly likely explanation is that the police are still mobilizing to handle the protest.
Burning the American flag is only illegal if it is not your property. It is considered a part of free speech to be able to burn it. This hasn’t always been the case, but there have been Supreme Court decisions in recent decades that have clarified that flag burning is free speech.
An interesting tidbit here is that according to the US Flag Code, the preferred method of disposal for a US flag that is no longer fit for display is to burn it.
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