Debate over Mexican flags on main street roils Northern California city

"The issue burst into the public discourse after the Orland Flag Society announced it would line a downtown street with U.S. flags on the day of the memorial for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, said Orland.News. The day after that memorial, the newly created Mexican Heritage Flag Society submitted its request to Orland that it be allowed to use existing flagpole holes along Walker Street to display Mexico's flag on certain holidays."

"The creation of a policy concerning flags would require Orland to decide whether such displays constitute government speech or a public forum, said the analysis in the council agenda, adding, If treated as a public forum, the City must remain viewpoint-neutral. As an example of the government-speech model, it referred to Manteca, which states that flag displays on city-owned property are not intended as"

Orland City Council met amid a packed audience over a request to allow Mexican flags on downtown poles during significant Hispanic holidays. After hours of public comment, the council postponed action and directed the city attorney to draft flag-policy options. The dispute followed the Orland Flag Society lining a downtown street with U.S. flags for a memorial and the Mexican Heritage Flag Society requesting use of existing flagpole holes on Walker Street to display Mexico's flag on certain holidays. The flagpole holes appear to lie in the Caltrans right-of-way and have been used for about 25 years by volunteers to display U.S. flags. The issue split residents and raises whether displays are government speech or a public forum, which would require viewpoint-neutral treatment.

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