A veteran burns the American flag outside the White House after Trump signed an executive order
A U.S. military veteran was filmed burning an American flag outside the White House the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking new consequences for doing so. (Credit: TheBulwark/TMX)
An antifascist student says a group will hold an "Antifascist Tailgate" party on the University of Virginia campus Friday evening, where participants will burn American flags in response to a recent executive order by President Donald Trump.
According to a flyer advertising the event, the demonstration is scheduled for 6-6:30 p.m. in a university parking lot ahead of a UVA volleyball game. The flyer, which depicts an American flag on a grill, promotes "hot dogs and burning flags."
The flyer drew wider attention after GOP strategist Greg Price shared it on X.
Kirk Wolff, a University of Virginia Law School student and U.S. Navy veteran, circulated the flyer in a UVA law school group chat, inviting classmates to attend. He also attached a message titled, "Why I am Burning the Flag."
A flyer advertising an antifascist tailgate event at UVA, obtained by Fox News Digital. ( )
Wolff later confirmed to Fox News Digital he organized the event on behalf of an unofficial group called the Friends Against Fascism Organization, or FAFO.
In a statement, Wolff, who said he is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, argued the flag burning was not an act of disrespect but a symbolic protest against what he described as Trump’s unlawful attempts to undermine democracy, chill dissent and overstep executive authority.
"The president does not get to say what the law is; that is solely the province of the judiciary," he said.
"He must be reminded that his political enemies are not military enemies and that he cannot stop free speech, expression and democracy," his statement continued. "Many of us, including myself, signed the dotted line and agreed to fight for these ideals.
"The actions this president has taken, between deploying troops to ‘war zone’ cities and planning to use the military against dissenters who he terms the ‘enemy within’ are far more disrespectful to the sacrifices of current and former service members than any flag burning, which has long been settled as protected speech. The president does not get to overturn that precedent with an EO, and his attempts to intimidate dissenters and chill speech is disgraceful. The true desecration of our flag has come from the Oval Office."
An antifascist student group at UVA said it would hold a flag-burning tailgate party Friday to protest President Trump's executive order banning the practice. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
TRUMP'S RENEWED CALLS TO JAIL AMERICAN FLAG BURNERS CLASHES WITH COURT PRECEDENT
University of Virginia Law School officials told Fox News Digital that Friends Against Fascism Organization is not an official student group and no approval was granted for the demonstration.
"'Friends Against Fascism' is not an official student organization at UVA or the UVA School of Law, and we have not received any request nor granted approval for an event of this nature," a UVA spokesperson said in a statement. "University officials are looking into the post to determine its legitimacy."
The spokesperson added that people affiliated with the university may freely engage in expressive activity "in certain public spaces without approval as long as they do so in a manner consistent with all relevant university policies and federal, state and local laws."
The protest comes after Trump in August signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute those who violate laws "in ways that involve desecrating the flag" and to pursue litigation that would clarify the scope of the First Amendment as it relates to flag desecration.
Members of the Communist Party USA and other antifascist groups burn an American flag on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Jan. 20, 2021, in Denver, Colo. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
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In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that burning the American flag was protected speech under the First Amendment.
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