Local law enforcement address “flag stomping challenge”

Flag stomping, It’s a disturbing social media challenge circulating around the internet. The challenge involves people posting videos and photos desecrating American Flags.

Chief Kelvin Sewell, with the Pocomoke City Police Department says, “I don’t agree with any of that.”

The internet challenge shows people where they have recorded video or taken pictures of themselves literally stomping on the American flag, or sometimes worse. There is one photo circulating of a person in Salisbury, Maryland which shows him lighting a flag on fire.

Chief Sewell continues, “The American flag is a symbol of our country. It has to be brought with respect.”

According to an article in the Washington times, the challenge is in honor of a Georgia college student wanted for allegedly bringing a gun to a campus protest. However, Chief Sewell believes rather than spreading some sort of message, this is just offending people.

Chief Sewell says, “If you dishonor the flag, it’s going to come with the consequences. That’s going to face you if you do that.”

Those consequences appear to be online personal threats directed at those putting up the posts. According to several local law enforcement agencies, it can be very difficult to charge someone with doing harm to an American Flag. In 1990, the Flag Protection Act was struck down in Supreme Court.

It ruled that the government’s interest in preserving the flag as a symbol did not outweigh an individual’s First Amendment right like freedom of expression. However, Chief Sewell says they can find other means of charging you. An example of this is the photo of the person holding a burning American Flag.

Chief Sewell replies. “You also have the fact that you’re starting an unintentional fire too.”

Chief Sewell and other law enforcement warn, “think” about the consequences before you jump on the latest online challenge.

Chief Sewell continues, “Every hot topic starts at the top in then in about a couple weeks it dwindles down. I don’t think there will be too much said about this after it’s said and done.”

If you would like to take a look at the 1990 Supreme Court Ruling which struck down the Flag Protection Act click here.