A man was arrested for setting fire to an American flag in Lafayette Park, a federal park outside the White House, just hours after President Trump signed an executive order to crack down on those who burn the flag. The U.S. Secret Service detained the person and turned them over to the U.S. Park Police, which has jurisdiction. The Park Police cited a violation of 36 CFR 2.13(a)(1), which prohibits fire in public parks, except in designated areas. The man, a veteran with over 20 years of service in the U.S. Army, claimed he was “burning this flag as a protest to that illegal fascist president that sits in that house,” gesturing toward the White House. Trump signed an executive order 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.
Trump has ordered a man to be arrested in a flag-burning incident near the White House, hours after the incident occurred.
