🇺🇸 Pa. township can’t bar ‘thin blue line’ flag, US court rules 🇺🇸

[GOYABEAN]

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A federal court has ruled that a Pennsylvania community’s resolution prohibiting the display of an American flag with a thin blue line on all township property is unconstitutional. The ruling about the flag that’s also used as part of the police union’s logo came down Monday.

The dispute in Springfield Township, about 15 miles from Philadelphia, arose over the use of the black-and-white American flag, with one horizontal blue stripe. The township argued the use of the flag was creating “discontent and distrust” in the community against the police.

Prohibiting the use of the thin blue line flag restricts the free speech of public employees under the First Amendment, U.S. District Judge Karen Marston decided.

“The Township repeatedly suggests that the Thin Blue Line American Flag is of limited, if any, public value or concern because it is ‘offensive’ and ‘racist,’” Marston wrote in the court opinion. “But as this Court previously told the Township, the First Amendment protects speech even when it is considered ‘offensive.’”

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2023/1...outputType=amp

[Ilikebuckets]

I can*t believe money had to be wasted to figure out this is speech under the first amendment. No respect for the Constitution or people*s money.