The Village of Croton-on-Hudson in New York withdrew its zoning violation notice against a man flying a pro-Trump flag on his property.
The resident, veteran Leonard Amicola, previously said that he has had a Trump flag on his property since 2021, the current version of which reads, “Trump is my President.” The flag hung between two trees. Previously, Amicola displayed the flag on a pole, but it was later stolen
“Thank you Lenny. Great to be a WINNER, and that is you, a WINNER and a CHAMPION!!!” President Trump said of the man on Truth Social. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT”
The Village said in a statement that staff have been “falsely accused of engaging in a politically motivated enforcement action” that became a “national spectacle.”
“Further, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent correspondence to the Village regarding this matter,” the Village added, explaining that it is “not in a position to contend with continuous anonymous abuse of staff, threats to personnel and a federal intervention regarding a minor civil citation for a non-safety related provision of the Village Code.”
In an opinion piece for The Croton Chronicle, the Army veteran wrote, “My choices and my politics are my own. I don’t always agree with other people’s opinions in Croton but all of us have the right to free speech.”
“People ask me why I don’t surrender and take down my flag,” he wrote. “It is because of the values I learned growing up here in Croton.”
Amicola’s attorney said of the case, “We feel that his actions are protected under the First Amendment.” Had the matter not been resolved, it may have been brought to federal court.
