Edison, New Jersey, has received national attention after residents forced a revolt against the town council's ban on displaying the American flag at public town meetings.
On Monday, FOX News Digital reported that Edison resident and attorney Joel Basoff was removed from a town council meeting by police for displaying a small American flag in protest of new rules banning the U.S. Constitution and other items. It was reported that. “Props” from the public comment portion of the town meeting.
Residents immediately rejected the new rules, calling them at a five-hour rally on Nov. 25 a “disgusting” attempt to assert unwarranted power from the platform, violating their First Amendment rights. He claimed that.
Joe Romano, vice chairman of the Edison Board of Education, who spoke out against the ordinance at the meeting, told Fox News Digital that West Patel, the City Council president, told the police that Basoff had been arrested simply for keeping the ordinance in place. He said the chamber was “shocked” when he ordered them removed from the chamber. American flag.
“People get elected, but they think they know better because I got elected. Honestly, this is a power trip,” Romano said of the City Council president. “I'm sorry. You're right. You're supposed to be there representing the people. Guys. Not half of it, it's all of it.”
The new ordinance caught the attention of free speech advocacy group the Foundation for Individual Rights Expression (FIRE), which told Fox News Digital that “Joel's First Amendment rights; “We are considering taking legal action against the town council.” All Citizens of Edison, New Jersey. ”
“Edison Township can expect to hear from FIRE soon,” the group said.
When asked about a possible lawsuit by Fox News Digital, Patel appeared to backtrack on his decision to ban the flag and apologize for the “confusion” he caused in a statement to the effect.
“Let me be clear: The Edison Board of Trustees has never banned the Star-Spangled Banner from public meetings and never will,” Patel wrote. “Both our national and state flags are displayed prominently in the chambers of Congress. We proudly and humbly begin each council meeting with a pledge of allegiance to our flag… ”
“It was never the intention of this council to ban the Star-Spangled Banner,” he continued, stressing that the flag is not mentioned in the official ordinance.
“If my comments at the last board meeting implied that, I apologize.”
Mayor Sam Joshi also commented on the backlash: Statement on Instagramwrote, “Our nation's flag has never been banned and will never be banned from our City Hall…”
“I spoke with the City Council President regarding this matter and he issued a public statement humbly apologizing for the confusion surrounding the recently passed decency ordinance,” Joshi said.
News of Mr. Basov's exchange with the town council quickly went viral, but he was not the only resident that night to protest the flag ban during a controversial exchange with the town council president.
“I just don't understand it,” landscape architect Russ Azzarello, who took to the podium with several small Basov-like American flags, told the council. [how] If someone carries the Constitution or the national flag…it disrupts the meeting. ”
Mr Patel reportedly warned them to put the flag away immediately. Video of the interaction. “I must warn you that these are for and against. If you continue to hold them…” he said as Azzarello spoke for him.
“How is this going to disrupt the flow of the meeting?” Azzarello shot back. “Holding this is my expression of free speech. If it offends anyone, you're wrong. He explained that he comes from a military family and has three folded flags in his home.
Edison County Attorney Michael R. Burns quickly joined Patel's defense.
“Just holding something in your hand or holding a flag can be disruptive, it can be a distraction…” he told Azzarello. “You show up and wave something around trying to liven things up…that's the problem. Do you want to stand there and read the Constitution? Good luck. But the deliberate gamesmanship of bringing in a little American flag and waving it around… They are all considered props and asked not to use them,” he said.
Speaking to FOX News Digital, Azzarello said he disagreed with Patel's apology.
“There was no confusion. There was malicious intent from the beginning,” he said.
Councilman Richard Bresher, one of two City Council members who voted against the ordinance, also called Patel's apology insincere.
“That's what I call BS,” Bresher told Fox News Digital, calling the ordinance “un-American and unconstitutional.”“
“Many towns in this country have problems with elected officials trying to silence the public, and ours is no exception.” “They went too far by calling the flag a prop.”
Bresher said Patel and the mayor have apologized, but the ordinance has not been repealed.
“If you truly said you didn't mean what you said in the video that we all saw, you should retract that statement. This is typical of my mayor and his four council members,” Brescher said. he added, accusing Mr Patel of being in Joshi's “pocket”.
“They lie. They say it was a mistake, but they haven't repealed the law, so it remains illegal in Edison…That's what they consistently do here, just It's just the general public trying to shut down their voices and voices because we live in one of the freest countries in the world, and the law allows them to say that.”
Bresher said the council is in disarray because residents are fed up with the mayor, who he accuses of trying to “take transparency away” from the community.
“He doesn't want to hear the discourse. He doesn't want to hear the public's opinion. He doesn't want anyone to hear that he's not doing his job well…all the residents. have the same feelings.”
Mayor Joshi did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Romano echoed Bresher's call for the Legislature to repeal the new ordinance. He argued that while it was initially introduced to restore civility to a riot-ravaged parliament, it has only increased hostility within the chamber.
“They got to the point where people were attending council meetings and antagonizing council members,” he said.
of Ordinance O.2239-2024passed to maintain decorum at Town Council meetings that have recently descended into chaos and been the subject of ridicule. In October, a man dressed as Bon was removed from the stage after appearing on stage in formal attire. Some showed up wearing full face masks and elaborate costumes. One resident described recent City Council meetings as a “three-ring circus” with Patel in control.
The ordinance does not specifically ban the Star-Spangled Banner or the U.S. Constitution, but when asked about the issue at a previous town council meeting, Patel told residents that “any props are not considered to contribute to the maintenance of order. , as President, I will do so.” That phone. ”
“These are the rules that will guide the meeting. There could be no rules, but that would create confusion,” Patel said when asked about the ordinance at the Nov. 25 meeting.
