Police in Vermont Probe Flag Burnings and Thefts
NewsMax.com Wires
Thursday, July 8, 2004
MONTPELIER, Vt. At least five American flags have been
found burned in public places in the city since mid-June, and
several residents have reported their flags missing, police said.
Though no solid leads have developed, police Chief Douglas Hoyt
said "it's entirely possible" the incidents are related.
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Desecrating a U.S. flag is not a crime, but the perpetrator
could be prosecuted for theft or damaging someone else's property,
Hoyt said.
In one of the incidents, two mutilated flags were wrapped around
an Ethan Allen statue at the Statehouse. In another, a U.S. flag
was placed on a church's Virgin Mary statue and set on fire.
A flag found Wednesday draped on a building had the stars burned
out and the phrase "Stop the Corruption." Some of the missing
flags were displayed by the city for Independence Day festivities.
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