Protest scheduled over flag burning at LSU | WBRZ News 2 Louisiana : Baton Rouge, LA |
Protest scheduled over flag burning at LSU
Topics:
LSU,
flag burning,
protest,
Isaac Eslava,
Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE - Plans to burn an American flag on LSU's campus as part of a peaceful protest today may have gone up in smoke.
LSU student Benjamin Haas had scheduled a demonstration at noon to protest the arrest of another student who is accused of burning the school's American flag. Haas advertised on Facebook that he had also planned to burn an American flag as part of the protest, and had permission to do so.
According to Ernie Ballard with LSU, the Dean of Students did issue a permit for the demonstration. However, Ballard says Haas was told he had to get a second permit for the actual burning from the state fire marshal's office, and officials there say no permit was issued.
Haas is protesting the arrest of Isaac Eslava, who is accused of cutting down the school's American flag at the War Memorial and burning it last week. He is charged with damaging property and arson.
Haas says Eslava was expressing his right to freedom of speech when he burned the flag and should not have been arrested.
A counter-demonstration has also been scheduled by LSU's student government president Cody Wells. He said it would be held an hour after Haas' protest, where students would recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the National Anthem.
Wells said his assembly is not related to or sponsored by LSU's student government, but by him "as an individual."
Click to expand...