HARTFORD, Conn — Enfield is not the only town that places restrictions on what flags can fly.
Several towns in the state restrict non-government flags. For some, it stems from the 2022 unanimous Supreme Court ruling that Boston violated the free speech rights of a conservative activist when it refused his request to fly a Christian flag on a flagpole outside City Hall.
Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court that the city discriminated against the activist, Harold Shurtleff, because of his “religious viewpoint,” even though it had routinely approved applications for the use of one of the three flagpoles outside City Hall that fly the U.S., Massachusetts and Boston flags.
In the past few years, towns around the state have struggled with this issue. Here's a brief sample:
Colchester allows a third flag to be hung alongside the state and country flags with the approval of the Board of Selectman. It can be an MIA-POW, a town flag, or whatever else a resident brings forward. However, it cannot be for political, religious, or non-inclusive causes.
In Darien, the Board of Selectmen voted in 2022 to restrict the type of flag flown over town hall to only three, the town's flag, the state flag and the U.S. flag.
In Easton, the town's flag policy states, "Only the United States, State of Connecticut and Town of Easton flags shall be flown outside of Easton Town Hall."
Last year in Goshen, officials restricted the flags that could be flown to the U.S. flag, State of Connecticut flag, POW/MIA flag, and U.S. military. The Goshen Fire Company can display its flag at the firehouse.
In Litchfield, the policy pertains to what can be posted on the town green. In a controversy that dates back a decade, yellow ribbons were not allowed to be tied to trees. In 2022, a local official enforcing an ordinance banning placards and other postings on the green, took down the ribbons that had been there since 2003.
In June of 2023, Cheshire passed an ordinance prohibiting any flags except for the United States, state of Connecticut, or town of Cheshire flags on town properties. The POW/MIA and armed services flags are restricted to veterans' memorials, upsetting some local veterans.
In Southington, a similar ban applies. That ban forced organizers of the Italian American Festival to place flags on private poles in town.
In South Windsor, commemorative or organizational flags can only fly on one designated town flagpole located down the street from town hall at the Wapping Community House. "No other privately owned Commemorative or Organizational Flags shall be displayed on any other Town-owned or Town-maintained facility. The Town flags found on the Town of South Windsor Flag List are excluded from this ordinance."
The Stonington Board of Education approved pride flags to be hung in classrooms, if teachers choose, after parents voiced concerns.
The LGBTQ+ pride flag flew over the state capitol last year.
Wethersfield adopted an ordinance stating the town, state, country, and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action would be the only flags allowed on town properties. However, someone looking to fly a different flag can ask the town council for permission.
Doug Stewart is a Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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