Flags burned in La Paz, Bolivia

[Pandemonium]

?An act of aggression and violation of international law? is how Bolivia described the situation in which the Presidential plane was grounded in Vienna for almost 12 hours, over fears that Snowden could be on board.

Angry Bolivians descended on the French Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday to protest unconfirmed reports of France allegedly rerouting the plane of President Evo Morales to Austria on Tuesday, according to ITV. The Local reports that approximately 100 protesters burned French flags and threw stones at the embassy while chanting, "Hypocrite France! Colonizer France," and "Fascist France, get out of Bolivia!"

Bolivia accused France, Portugal, and Italy of refusing Morales' plane access to their airspace on suspicion that it was carrying NSA leaker Edward Snowden out of Moscow. Morales had been attending a summit in the Russian capital. According to the Associated Press, Snowden is believed to still be in Moscow, while French and Portuguese officials have denied forbidding the plane access.

According to Agence France-Presse, the presidential palace in La Paz announced that rallies would take place at the embassies of France, Portugal, Italy, and the United States, which is seeking Snowden's return in order to prosecute him on charges of espionage. Community leader Jorge Chura told ITV that the La Paz protest was organized to tell France and Portugal "that they have no right to deny the president of a country, such as Bolivia, to land."
Full article on this here.

What do you guys think of this?
Personally, I hate flad desecration no matter what it is. And I'm specially sensitive to this one because both my country's flags, Portugal and France, were shamed and burnt. >.<

 

[lauren]

As far as burning flags go I really don't think it should be emphasised. People do things like this to make a point and I really don't think a flag should be treated as some sort of holy or overly important symbol. Okay so the flags represent our countries but it doesn't accomplish anything by burning except bothering people, I think people need to try and get over the burning of stuff like that and then not so much offence would be taken. I understand why it would upset or annoy people but it really isn't the biggest issue and its kind of petty to use that as more reason. All that should count is why those people are doing it.