Why a Penn. man arrested for flag desecration was awarded $55,000

A Pennsylvania man was arrested in 2014 for flying a upside down, spray-painted flag off of his front porch.

Joshua Brubaker later sued the township of Allegheny for the arrest, arguing that the flag was not desecration, but an exercise of his civil rights. The Altoona Mirror reports Friday that the township has settled the lawsuit, agreeing to pay Mr. Brubaker $55,000.

Allegheny Township Police Assistant Chief L.J. Berg seized the flag as evidence on May 12, 2014 and charged Brubaker with “desecration of flag,” a third-degree misdemeanor and “insults to national or commonwealth flag,” a second-degree misdemeanor.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2016/0722/Why-a-Penn.-man-arrested-for-flag-desecration-was-awarded-55-000