United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order punishing those who burn the country’s flag with one year in jail, despite a longstanding court ruling that flag burning is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The order, signed on Monday, acknowledges the 1989 Supreme Court decision, which found that flag burning is protected as free speech, but argued that it is “likely to incite imminent lawless action”.

“If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail; no early exits, no nothing,” Trump said as he signed the order.

“You get one year in jail, and it goes on your record, and you will see flag burning stopping immediately,” he added.

The move has been condemned by free speech groups who say that the order violates key civil liberties, as Trump pursues

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