Fox News Anchor Falsely Tells Viewers ‘It’s A Crime To Burn The American Flag’

Fox News anchor Julie Banderas told viewers on Friday that burning the American flag is “a crime,” and not one of her four “Outnumbered” co-hosts attempted to correct her false statement.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 in Texas v. Johnson that the act of burning the American flag is “symbolic speech” and is therefore protected by the First Amendment.

Banderas was reacting to guest panelist Carley Shimkus who brought up a video showing a group of protesters burning an American flag outside the White House during President Donald Trump’s “Salute to America” event on Thursday.

“The American flag — it’s very important to honor it. There was a video of somebody who stopped burning of the protest yesterday with his hands,” Shimkus claimed. “It means a lot to a lot of people.”

“Two people were arrested after that,” Banderas interjected.

“And it’s a crime to burn the American flag,” Banderas added. “That’s how much we respect our American flag.”

Fox News anchor Julie Banderas thinks it is illegal to burn the American flag.

"And it's a crime to burn the American flag — that's how much we respect our American flag" pic.twitter.com/aPV0WhAVnU

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 5, 2019

Hours later, Banderas correctly stated that it is “not technically illegal to burn a flag” but did not acknowledge her earlier false statement.

Filling in for Shep Smith later in the day, Banderas introduces a segment on Joey Johnson's arrest after he burned the flag yesterday by noting "it is not technically illegal to burn a flag due to free speech"

She does not mention her earlier false claim on Outnumbered. pic.twitter.com/RrVhNIlzAY

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 5, 2019