Quincy man says theft of flags was politically motivated

QUINCY, Mass. – Two American flags are stolen from the front yard of a home in Quincy, and the owner says he believes that crime was politically motivated.

Richard Leonard said one of the flags was meant to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. He’d been flying it and an American flag upside down to express how unhappy he is about the current presidential administration.

“My feeling is we are going in the wrong direction,” he said. “It’s just way of indicating I feel there’s something wrong.”

One flag was hanging from a tree, the other was clipped on to his front stairs.

“Not an expensive flag. It just had meanings,” he said. “I guess in a way it’s my way of holding on to that important part of our history.

Leonard said he is upset because while his decision to hang the flags upside-down is protected by the First Amendment, it still made him a target.

“That’s something I have to consider because this was an assault on my property,” he said.

For now, the retired teacher will wear two upside-down flags in hopes of sparking a discussion about our differences.

“Yes, we fight under the flag but we don’t fight for the flag, we fight for the country. The flag is a symbol that’s all it is. It’s a symbol,” he said.

Leonard says if the thief returns his flags, he won’t even be that angry about it.

Quincy Police are investigating, but said so far, they do not have any suspects.

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