DOJ Moves to Dismiss Charges Against WNC Veteran Burning Flag by White House
By Marge | Published 2026-03-16T15:40:31.127Z
News
Location: Asheville, NC, Arden, Washington, D.C.
DOJ drops flag burning charges against WNC veteran Jay Carey after White House protest. Free speech victory in politically active region.
The Justice Department on Friday, March 13, 2026, moved to dismiss federal charges against Jay Carey, a 55-year-old Army veteran from Arden, North Carolina, following a monthslong legal battle over a flag-burning protest near the White House.The Incident and Executive OrderCarey was arrested on August 25, 2025, in Lafayette Park after setting an American flag on fire. The protest occurred just hours after President Trump signed an executive order directing the DOJ to "vigorously prosecute" the b
Keywords: flag burning, free speech, First Amendment, veteran, WNC, Department of Justice, Jay Carey, executive order