'It seemed like a good idea to burn some flags just because we can,' added fellow organizer Sha Lar, 32, of Santa Cruz. He’s due back in court July 31, when he may learn if a grand jury has indicted him. Flag desecration is the desecration of a flag, violation of flag protocol, or various acts that intentionally destroy, damage, or mutilate a flag in public.In the case of a national flag, such action is often intended to make a political point against a country or its policies. Around a burn barrel at Seabright State Beach, organizer Brent Adams, 41, of Santa Cruz, declared flag burning not a protest, but a celebration of the Constitutions First Amendment.
#BURN THE GAY FLAG DAY FREE#
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Laurie Peterson ordered Singleton set free with no bail late Wednesday, despite prosecutors’ request that he be held on a $25,000 bond.
NYPD Chief Dermot Shea, meanwhile, thanked hate crime investigators and civilian tipsters - including some who reached out to - for clinching the collar. “He stated in substance that he was responsible for burning the flags, and that his actions were motivated by bias and animus against the LGBT community,” the criminal complaint against Singleton says. Once in custody, Singleton told an NYPD Bias Incident Investigations detective that it was him. Singleton ‘fessed up to investigators that he twice targeted the Seventh Avenue gay bar - first on May 31, when he lit up two LGBT flags hanging on a pole outside, and then again July 8, when he set fire to another flag hanging in the same spot. Cops release footage of man torching Harlem gay pride flagĪrrested Tuesday in the caught-on-video predawn fires, Tyresse Singleton, 20, now must face felony charges of arson and criminal mischief as a hate crime.