Photo: Alamy
Officials in a suburban New York village have withdrawn a zoning violation against a longtime resident displaying a “Trump Is My President” flag after the case drew national attention, threats of violence and a warning from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Village of Croton-on-Hudson confirmed late Tuesday that it rescinded both the violation and appearance ticket tied to the flag, which had been cited as a “banner” violation under the community’s zoning code. The village attorney said enforcement is suspended while the ordinance is reviewed.
The dispute centered on Leonard “Lenny” Amicola, a disabled Vietnam veteran who has lived in the village for 67 years and has flown pro-Trump banners since 2021. He said his current flag, strung between two trees, has received both support and harassment, including “rocks being thrown at the flag” and personal threats, according to a report from Newsmax.
The village initially defended the citation as part of “routine, village-wide code enforcement that identified 17 non-compliant locations,” noting most cases were resolved through voluntary compliance. In a statement Tuesday, officials rejected claims of political bias: “Village staff have been falsely accused of engaging in a politically motivated enforcement action… categorically false.”
But the matter quickly escalated into what officials called a “national spectacle.” The Department of Justice stepped in, sending a letter that reminded the village it has the authority to pursue civil enforcement if constitutional rights are threatened. DOJ urged officials to “review its ordinance and enforcement practices promptly” to ensure compliance with federal law.
In response, Croton-on-Hudson leaders acknowledged that “our village government is not in a position to contend with continuous anonymous abuse… and a federal intervention regarding a minor civil citation.”
Mayor Brian Pugh insisted the situation was “a straightforward code enforcement matter, not a free speech issue,” explaining that community rules discourage banners that are not on flagpoles.
Amicola and his attorney, Roseann Schuyler, strongly disagreed, arguing the enforcement violated his constitutional rights and threatening to take the case to federal court if necessary. For now, the citation has been dropped, with Schuyler allowed to continue flying his Trump flag.