A construction business owner in Buffalo, Minnesota is willing to go to jail over his “Trump 2020” flag that the city says is in violation of an ordinance.
The flag is flying on a tall pole at Jay Johnson’s construction business office.
“It looks small because it’s 150 feet in the air, but it’s a pretty big flag,” Johnson told CBS Pittsburgh.
The flag measures 50 feet by 30 feet. Johnson initially took the flag down after the 2020 election but put it back up in March. Shortly after, several of his business’s trucks were vandalized, their windows shot out by BB guns. A similar incident occurred at a Trump merchandise stand in another part of the town during the same time period.
A police investigation is ongoing.
“I’m willing to forgive the people that did it. They just got to come forward and admit it. I put a reward out,” he said.
A Buffalo city ordinance states that the flag is big enough that it needed to be licensed. Johnson has not applied for the permit.
The city is currently determining what actions it may take. Johnson faces a fine or even jail time.
“I’ll just put it up someplace else, and maybe even a bigger flag,” Johnson said, explaining that the flag cost $1,0000 and the crane cost $50,0000.
“I am prepared to get the fines, ultimately get cuffed, go to jail, whatever,” he added.