OLYMPIA, Washington: An anti-illegal immigration activist is unlikely to get a permit to burn a Mexican flag on the steps of the state Capitol because of air pollution concerns.
Nick Bradford, of Tacoma, said he wants to burn the flag when the legislative session opens in January to encourage the state to do more to crack down on illegal immigrants, including allowing local police to arrest people who enter the U.S. illegally.
"Obviously, the protest is intended to get the attention of the public, but also the politicians here, in Washington," Bradford said. "We can't always bark at the other Washington and George Bush. We can do things locally here."
Bradford recently called Visitors Services at the Capitol to ask about burning a flag on the steps, but officials were not sure whether it was allowed.The Department of General Administration, which operates the building, checked with the Olympia Fire Department, which said any burning would have to be cleared by the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency, department spokesman Steve Valandra told The Olympian newspaper."Flag burning is a form of protected free speech, so if he wanted to get a permit to do this, GA would grant it to him, as long as he abided by whatever other preconditions existed," Valandra said.http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/07/america/NA-GEN-US-Flag-Burning-Permit.php
2007-12-08
13:52:52
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