Tom Clancy
Clancy for Ron Paul
Judge Overturns Nebraska Ban On Flag Mutilation, Siding With Westboro Church's Right To Protest Military Funerals
OMAHA, Neb. A federal judge overturned Nebraska's ban on flag mutilation Thursday, clearing the way for Kansas church protesters to continue trampling on the U.S. flag when they protest at military funerals.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf said the law can't be applied as long as Megan Phelps-Roper and fellow members of the Westboro Baptist Church "otherwise act peacefully while desecrating the American or Nebraska flag during their religiously motivated protests."
It was unclear whether the ruling applied only to the church members or to everyone in Nebraska. An earlier temporary block of the law applied only to Phelps-Roper.
The judge declined to explain the intent of his ruling when reached by The Associated Press.
A message left Thursday with the Nebraska attorney general's office wasn't immediately returned.