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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The National Police Association announced today they have filed suit against a second Ohio HOA for threatening a homeowner for flying a Thin Blue Line flag.
Thomas DiSario’s son, Kirkersville, OH Police Chief Steven Eric DiSario, was ambushed and killed in the line of duty in May 2017. Since then, Mr. DiSario had flown a Thin Blue Line flag at his Pataskala, OH home in honor of his son.
On or about the five-year anniversary of Chief DiSario’s death, Mr. DiSario was made aware that an individual complained to Cumberland Crossing Home Owners Association via their property management company, Omni Community Association Managers (the HOA) regarding Mr. DiSario’s flying of the Thin Blue Line flag. Mr. DiSario subsequently received a notification from the HOA advising that: “The political sign in the form of a flag must be removed from your property. The flag on your pole is not a United States Flag. It is a political statement. Please remove the flag from your property.” Mr. DiSario was threatened with being fined and sued for noncompliance.
Last month, under threat of lawsuit by the HOA, Mr. DiSario took the flag down.
The National Police Association (NPA) was already in court in Ohio defending a homeowner’s right to fly his Thin Blue Line flag against threats from his HOA. The NPA reached out to Mr. DiSario’s HOA and asked them to hold off on any actions until after the first HOA suit was resolved. Mr. DiSario’s HOA refused, so this suit was filed.
According to James Bopp Jr. of The Bopp Law Firm of Terre Haute, Indiana, counsel for Plaintiffs, “HOA covenants that prohibit the display of the Thin Blue Line flag are in violation of the First Amendment and the threats by the HOA to enforce their prohibition in court are without merit.”
The case is 2:22-cv-04319-ALM-CMV National Police Association, Inc. et al v. Omni Community Association Managers, LLC et al, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division. The lawsuit can be read here https://nationalpolice.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NPA-v-Omni.pdf
About The National Police Association:
The National Police Association is a 501(c)3 Educational/Advocacy non-profit organization. For additional information visit www.nationalpolice.org.
This article originally appeared at the National Police Association.
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Source: www.lawofficer.com