A veteran pleaded not guilty on Wednesday after an incident last month where the American flag was set on fire in a federal park near the White House, prompting controversy over the act.
Jan Carrey, 54, faced two federal misdemeanor charges during her first court appearance. These charges related to lighting fires in specific locations and causing damage to park resources, although she was not directly accused of burning the flag itself.
Carrey’s arrest occurred on August 25 when she burned the flag at Lafayette Park. Video footage from the event showed her announcing that she was a veteran with over 20 years of military service, claiming her actions were a protest against what she referred to as an “illegal fascist president sitting in the house.”
She expressed, “I fought for each and every one of your rights to express yourself. You have the right to revise the American flag,” addressing onlookers at the time.
“The president cannot create laws, period,” she added.
Her arrest came shortly after former President Trump signed an executive order aimed at identifying and prosecuting individuals who desecrate the flag, alongside directives for state and local entities to review relevant laws. The order also indicates that if a foreign national is found to have burned the flag, their visa could be revoked.
A Supreme Court decision from 1989 affirmed that flag burning is protected as free speech under the First Amendment.
Following the hearing, Carrey spoke to reporters, detailing her service in the Army from 1989 to 2012, during which she was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I have served this country for over 20 years and made an oath to support our constitution. I didn’t vow to serve a dictator, tyrant, or aspiring king,” she asserted.
A representative for U.S. Attorney Janine Piro, who brought the charges against Carrey, remarked, “While we respect the First Amendment, there are laws prohibiting the burning of anything including a flag on federal property.”
Mara Verheiden Hilliard, co-founder of the Civil Justice Fund Partnership, argued that the charges are an attempt to restrict free speech.
“This is a significant moment for the administration’s First Amendment stance. It’s crucial for individuals to stand up and exercise their rights,” Verheiden Hilliard emphasized.
Judge James Boasberg has set an October 17 deadline for Carrey’s attorney to submit motions, with a status hearing scheduled for December 1.
