Originally Posted by
indyfabz
Uncorrect. Actions like this by private citizens cannot form the basis of a civll rights claim. You need government action (e.g., police action) or something like the actions of an employer that amounts to discrimination.
You would know more about it than me, so I defer to the knowledge you got in law school. That said, the crux of what I'm saying is that's unacceptable conduct and it can't be justified. Maybe it could be construed as hate crime?
While not a lawyer, I did spend a career that had me in the courtroom frequently and we both know when a case gets special attention a defendant can be charged with darn near anything. What they plead to or are convicted of is another matter. I might be a little sensitive to this kind of subject because part of my job I retired from was to ensure that citizens had the right speak out and protest peacefully; even if their focus was on my profession. I could never burn a US flag except in accordance with old flag destruction policy. However, I have protected the rights of people to do so because I believe our freedoms supersede the emblem of those freedoms.