Beating someone for burning the flag is not patriotism; it's acting against the very freedoms that the flag should represent.pic.twitter.com/olqsMz9lSi
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Burning effigies and symbols is pretty old, I think. Might not have been legal, but as a protest it's very ancient.
Burning effigies of unpopular people is acceptable everywhere. Burning with the intent of enraging locals was not acceptable til recently.