President-elect would jail flag burners or strip citizenship, despite free speech right

WASHINGTON— President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened loss of citizenship or jail for those who burn the U.S. flag, saying such protests — which the Supreme Court has declared to be free speech — should carry “consequences.

“Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag — if they do, there must be consequences — perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!” Trump’s early morning Twitter post said.

Flag burning was ruled to be consti- tutionally protected speech under the First Amendment in a 1990 Supreme Court case, United States v. Eichman, that struck down a law seeking to prevent its desecration.

Trump did not say what inspired his proposal, but it comes just days after a college in western Massachusetts reportedly decided to stop flying all flags, including U.S. flags, after someone there burned a flag in protest of Trump’s election victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

A group of veterans gathered on Sunday to protest the decision by Hampshire College in Amherst to remove the flag.

Trump’s latest interest in curbing First Amendment protections follows several other actions related to free speech, including his blacklisting of reporters who fell out of favour with his campaign.

His tweet also demonstrated an ability that has continued beyond Trump’s campaign to divert public attention from other issues of the day.

This week, he caused an uproar by asserting on Twitter, without evidence, that millions of people voted illegally for Clinton.