WHAT HEELS: Crazy Canucks In Flag Flap
Canadian nationals Ryan Smith, 25, and Matt Siefert, 26, are facing vandalism and flag desecration charges for replacing an American flag with a Canadian flag atop a mountain between Indian Wells and La Quinta, CA, on February 28th to celebrate their country’s men's hockey team beating the U.S. team in the Winter Olympics. But this wasn’t just any flag, reports The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, CA):
It was erected by Indian Wells resident Mayte Sterling shortly after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
She and some patriotic friends replace the flag every six months in honor of those lost during 9/11 and for the soldiers deployed still fighting the war overseas.
Sterling's son, Robert C. Sterling Jr., said a few days after the incident he found “Old Glory” torn and buried under rocks.
The men told investigators that they were unaware of the flag’s significance and expressed remorse for their actions. The misdemeanor charges are punishable by a fine, or as much as a year behind bars.
[Hat Tip: The Heel, an Ivy-educated attorney with a prestigious New York firm, and occasional contributor to this blog.]
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