US Border Agency Demands Removal of Upside-Down Flag Mural at Tijuana Border

The US Customs and Border Protection has demanded the removal of a mural depicting an upside-down American flag painted on the border wall separating San Diego and Tijuana. The mural, likely created by a San Francisco artist, has become an iconic symbol for migrants denied entry into the United States. The agency argues the artwork is an outrage that defiles the American flag, and has called on President Trump to remove it. This has sparked a fierce debate over free speech, with artists citing the First Amendment and opponents pushing for a flag desecration amendment. The mural is located on the Mexican side of the border, 32 kilometers south of San Diego, along the 3,000-kilometer wall erected in 1994. The controversy comes as Trump has proposed penalties of up to one year in prison and loss of citizenship for flag desecration, though the Supreme Court previously ruled such laws unconstitutional under the First Amendment.