A 36-year-old man was arrested Sunday in South Lake Tahoe, California, after allegedly attempting to burn an American flag outside a police station. Officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded after being alerted by an El Dorado County Sheriff's sergeant.
The sergeant reported observing a man lowering the U.S. flag from the SLTPD station and attempting to set it on fire. Responding officers detained the suspect, identified as Wilber Geovany Orejel-Noguera, a resident of South Lake Tahoe.
According to police, Orejel-Noguera had recently been released from jail. His prior arrest on Saturday involved charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication for allegedly shooting arrows at an intersection known locally as "the Y." This junction connects Highway 50 and Highway 89.
Records indicate Orejel-Noguera has been arrested multiple times since April, facing charges including possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and resisting arrest.
He has been booked into the El Dorado County Jail with bail set at $100,000. The charge against him is felony attempted arson.
Instances of individuals attempting to burn the American flag, while rare, gained more visibility during protests in 2020. In May 2020, protesters in Los Angeles reportedly burned a flag and damaged police vehicles, while a protest in San Diego County also included vandalism and arson of a flag.