A woman has been arrested after an off-duty deputy reported to Tennessee State Park Rangers he saw her take down the U.S. and Tennessee flags at Red Clay State Park, place them on the ground, and stomp on them.
Bradley County Sheriff's Office spokesman James Bradford told the media 34-year-old Emily Arianna Warren was arrested Thursday night on two counts of desecration of flag, vandalism under $500, and criminal trespassing.
Bradford said Warren told officers this wasn't the first time she had removed flags at the park. He said she also admitted she swam in an area of the park that has a "no trespassing" sign.
According to Tennessee law, the desecration charge is a class A misdemeanor under the code defining desecration of venerated objects.