Cops: Man threw burning flag onto police vehicle, spat on officer
37,000 American flags placed on Boston Common for Memorial Day, to honor Massachusetts residents who died in service to the United States since the Civil War. (File Photo by Rick Friedman/rickfriedman.com/Corbis via Getty Images)
BOSTON - A Boston man faces several charges after he allegedly lighted an American flag on fire and threw it onto the roof of a Boston Police prisoner transport wagon.
The man then is accused of spitting on an officer who responded to the scene.
It happened at about 7:10 p.m. on Sunday at the Boston Common. The vehicle, which was empty, was parked near the fountain inside the park.
Officers who were patrolling near the park were approached by several people who alerted them to the incident. They stopped Daniel Lucey, 40, of Boston to question him. They say he admitted to starting the fire as "a form of protest."
Lucey then allegedly spit at one of the officers. Saliva landed on the officer's shoe.
Officers said he also had several other flags that appeared to be similar to the ones that were planted in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in honor of Memorial Day.
Lucey was arrested on assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, malicious destruction of property, and malicious destruction of historical monuments charges. It was unclear if Lucey had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.