This year, all across the country, patriots have celebrated America's 250th anniversary.
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The National Mall in Washington D.C. is hosting a multi-week Great American State Fair; Chris Stapleton and the Smashing Pumpkins are performing at America's Block Party held at the LA Coliseum, and President Trump hosted a first-of-its-kind UFC fight night at the White House to commemorate America's benchmark anniversary.
Not everyone is on the fun, though. A homeowners association in California is instructing residents to take down their American flags amid the nationwide celebration.
Married couple Amy and Chris Cooke, as well as their neighbor Terri Collins, were threatened with $100 fines last week if they did not remove the American flag from outside their houses in San Diego County.
They claimed that the neighborhood HOA has been much stricter since Donald Trump was re-elected in 2024.
That same year, the HOA board argued the flag represented a "political or affiliative view" which will "degrade the common area."
Patriotic Californians Furious Over Strict HOA Regulations
Despite being threatened with fines, Amy Cooke isn't removing Old Glory from her residence.
Amy, 62, told the California Post: "We are outraged. If you want to fly your flag, fly it. This is America. We are the land of the free and home of the brave. This is crazy."
She added: "The American Flag is a symbol of freedom. We know where their brains are at."
Over the last 20 years, the Cooke family has proudly flown the American flag in front of their home. Chris said they do so in honor of his grandfather Alexander Christie, who died in the Second World War.
The Navy sailor was killed in the 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf against Japan — the biggest naval fight in history — where his ship, the USS Princeton, was sunk.
He was awarded the Navy Purple Heart and Navy Cross for his bravery.
The Freedom to Fly the American Flag Act was passed by Congress in 2006, preventing HOAs from prohibiting the American flag from being flown on homes.
However, an HOA can still enforce rules on the size and location of the flags allowed within a specific community.
