At Justice Alito’s House, a ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol on Display
An upside-down flag, adopted by Trump supporters contesting the Biden victory, flew over the justice’s front lawn as the Supreme Court was considering an election case.
After the 2020 presidential election, as some Trump supporters falsely claimed that President Biden had stolen the office, many of them displayed a startling symbol outside their homes, on their cars and in online posts: an upside-down American flag.
One of the homes flying an inverted flag during that time was the residence of Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., in Alexandria, Va., according to photographs and interviews with neighbors.
The upside-down flag was aloft on Jan. 17, 2021, the images showed. President Donald J. Trump’s supporters, including some brandishing the same symbol, had rioted at the Capitol a little over a week before. Mr. Biden’s inauguration was three days away. Alarmed neighbors snapped photographs, some of which were recently obtained by The New York Times. Word of the flag filtered back to the court, people who worked there said in interviews.
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“I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” Justice Alito said in an emailed statement to The Times. “It was briefly placed by Mrs. Alito in response to a neighbor’s use of objectionable and personally insulting language on yard signs.”
Judicial experts said in interviews that the flag was a clear violation of ethics rules, which seek to avoid even the appearance of bias, and could sow doubt about Justice Alito’s impartiality in cases related to the election and the Capitol riot.
I was taught in boy scouts that an upside down flag is a symbol to request help.
It actually is a good symbol to represent the state of America. Just not for the reasons they think
My understanding was closer to "signal of dire distress", in that it's a statement more than a request.
But the insurrection was definitely direly distressing, so it works
Totally possible, I wasn't a particularly attentive scout.
Yeah, an upside down flag is a distress signal. If you’re on a ship and have engine trouble, for instance. You can flip your flag upside down, so any other ships who see it will know to check in.
I know people who were thinking of flying it upside down during a part of the Trump years and people said it was a really bad idea because there is a good chance a neighbor might break a window or something to try and assist you.