German police baffled by Bush poo-flags

May 19, 2005 4:07 PM

German police baffled by Bush poo-flags
posted by kirkaracha (20 comments total)

The series of incidents was originally thought to be some sort of protest against the US-led invasion of Iraq. And then when it continued it was thought to be a protest against President George W. Bush's campaign for re-election. But it is still going on and the police say they are completely baffled as to who is to blame.

Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal constitution is vague on the issue.

posted by kirkaracha at 4:07 PM on May 19, 2005

What do you call one quarter of a half-chuckle? An eighth-chuckle? I'd give about a third of that.
posted by squirrel at 4:18 PM on May 19, 2005

I remember, about fifteen years ago or so, going to Copenhagen. The first thing I saw there was a pile of dog poop with a Danish flag atop it.
posted by me & my monkey at 4:20 PM on May 19, 2005

This is a double post, but I can't find the original. I'm kind of lazy that way.
posted by Specklet at 4:21 PM on May 19, 2005

Only mildly amusing but...those flags are actually handy I assume for avoiding stepping in said dog poop in the first place.
posted by vacapinta at 4:21 PM on May 19, 2005

squirrel - that'd be a 'titter' I think.

made me titter anyway.
posted by stumcg at 4:22 PM on May 19, 2005

Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal constitution is vague on the issue.

Well said, IndyBay.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:22 PM on May 19, 2005

Double post.
posted by ltl at 4:24 PM on May 19, 2005

Hitler n' stuff...
posted by Witty at 4:30 PM on May 19, 2005

Tee hee. I want me a handful of those flags... I would totally do that.
posted by salad spork at 4:31 PM on May 19, 2005

"But frankly, we don't know what we would do if we caught them red handed." Legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal legal experts say there is no law against using feces as a flag stand and the federal constitution is vague on the issue.
How to confused a German: do something no law talks about. I was particularly amused by the federal constitution being "vague" about it. Does it mean some part of it can, albeit vaguely, be interpreted as a reference to using feces as a flag stand ?
posted by nkyad at 4:34 PM on May 19, 2005

I like this, its benign (if you count not picking up your dog's crap as benign) and kind of funny.

Faint of Butt, I'm sure there are going to be some laws detailing the proper and improper uses of feces as a flag stand on the books soon!
posted by fenriq at 4:38 PM on May 19, 2005

Actually a remix of a Spanish project. See the lower right hand corner of this poster
posted by warbaby at 4:41 PM on May 19, 2005

I confess. I'm responsible for that dollop of poo.
posted by horsewithnoname at 4:42 PM on May 19, 2005

The fact that this is STILL going on makes it more of an update, not a double-post.

I also think this is such a great, understated political protest.
posted by BoringPostcards at 4:42 PM on May 19, 2005

"We have sent out
extra patrols to try to catch whoever is doing this in the act," said police spokesman Reiner Kuechler.

Police sure know how to waste the tax payer's money.
posted by Citizen Premier at 4:42 PM on May 19, 2005

For those who were curious, the reason the Federal Constitution is considered "vague" on the matter is because this is what it says:

[translated from German:] "German national flags may not be planted in feces. Flags of other nations may or may not be planted in feces according to their own laws, which will be enforced on German soil by authority of this constitution. Non-national flags may or may not be planted in or outside of feces depending on the laws governing said flags in or around the country of origin if that country does or does not have laws governing flags of that or other origins."
posted by shmegegge at 4:57 PM on May 19, 2005

I just wonder ... do they keep all the evidence?!
posted by homodigitalis at 4:58 PM on May 19, 2005

shmegegge wins. If I ever write a constitution, that's Articles I-III.
posted by ibmcginty at 5:04 PM on May 19, 2005

So, lemme get this straight : it's not illegal in Germany unless it's illegal in the US? OTOH, if it's legal in the US it's legal in Germany? Interesting. So, if it were illegal in the US a German could - presumably in a German court - be able to argue that the US law is unconstitutional based on the First Amendment, which I'm sure a whole bunch of German lawyers are very expert in ... ? Or would the hypothetical german offender have to fly to the US to challenge the constitutionality of a US law he didn't actually breach in US sovereign soil and which no US court would have been able to prosecute him for? :)
posted by kaemaril at 5:06 PM on May 19, 2005