§ 2102. Desecration of flag.

338 words·~2 min read·/pa/title-18/chapter-21/2102

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)Offense defined.-- A person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree if, in any manner, he:

(1)for exhibition or display places any marks, writing or design of any nature or any advertisement upon any flag;

(2)exposes to public view any such marked or defiled flag;

(3)manufactures, sells, exposes for sale, gives away, or has in his possession for any of such purposes any article which uses the flag for the purposes of advertisement, sale or trade; or

(4)publicly or privately mutilates, defaces, defiles, or tramples upon, or casts contempt in any manner upon any flag.

(b)Exception.-- Subsection

(a)of this section does not apply:

(1)To any act permitted by the statutes of the United States, or by the regulations of the armed forces of the United States.

(2)In a case where the government of the United States has granted the use of such flag, standard, color, or ensign as a trademark.

(3)To any writing or instrument, or stationery for use in correspondence on any of which shall be printed, painted, or placed said flag, disconnected from any advertisement for the purpose of sale or trade.

(4)To any patriotic or political demonstration or decorations.

(c)Definition.-- As used in this section the word "flag" shall include any flag, standard, color, ensign or any picture or representation of any thereof, made of any substance or represented on any substance and of any size, purporting to be a flag, standard, color or ensign of the United States or of the Commonwealth, or a picture or a representation of any thereof, upon which shall be shown the colors or any color, or any combination of colors, or either the stars or the stripes, or the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or anything which the person seeing the same, may reasonably believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard or ensign of the United States or of the Commonwealth.

18c2103s