Brooksville man jailed in flap over Canadian flag at country clubhttp://www.tampabay.com/n.../crime/article1000415.ece BROOKSVILLE — Walter Fallica had been slowly steaming for weeks.
Every time the self-proclaimed disabled veteran saw the flag of Canada flying at the same height as the Stars and Stripes outside the Brookridge Country Club pro shop, his national pride felt bruised.
He complained several times, but nothing was done.
He took matters into his own hands Monday and tried to haul down the Canadian maple leaf.
He insisted the U.S. flag should be flown higher.
He was wrong.
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According to an arrest report, Fallica came into the lobby of the community center at Brookridge about 9:30 a.m. to complain about the flags. Witnesses said he was using vulgar language and "yelling and screaming very loudly."
He then burst into a closed-door meeting in the building, and was soon asked to leave. Fallica told the center's security captain that he couldn't make him leave and threatened to "split (the captain's) face open" if he touched him.
About three hours later, Fallica called the country club and said he was prepared to take down the Canadian flag. Within a few minutes, witnesses reported seeing Fallica walking toward the flagpole with a stick in his hand.
He allegedly took a knife out of his pocket and cut the rope that holds the flag.
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According to the U.S. Flag Code, when flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate poles of the same height and the flags should be about the same size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
