Arizona Man Arrested After Involvement in Burning of Mexican Flag

A 58-year-old Tucson, Arizona, man was arrested Tuesday for his involvement in the burning of a Mexican flag during a counterprotest Monday (April 11th) at a pro-immigration rally, the Arizona Daily Star reported. Roy Warden was arrested on suspicion of assault, criminal damage and reckless burning. The assault charge was for his alleged assault on a TV cameraman and the criminal damage charge for harm done to a shuffleboard court where Warden's group, Border Guardians, was burning the flag.

The Border Guardians burned the Mexican flag as a counterprotest to the 15,000 marchers rallying in Tucson against what they see as an unfair legislative proposal against illegal immigrants. A scuffle broke out when the flag-burning began, and two girls were arrested for throwing water at Warden and other group members.

Warden claims the charges are the result of pressure from the Mexican Consulate, telling the Daily Star, "If they saw something unlawful, why didn't they commit an arrest then?" Laine Lawless, another member of the Border Guardians, told the newspaper the arrest was a petty way to punish the group for its dissenting voice.

What in the name of Sam Hill is going on? I can burn the American Flag that's protected speech under the 1st Amendment but I can't burn the Mexican Flag?