District of Columbia: It's a misdemeanor to publicly display a flag with "any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement" on it and to sell or give away merchandise with an image of the flag on it for the purpose of advertising.
A "flag" is defined as "any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America."
Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 30 days and a fine of up to $100.
Source: 4 USC Sec. 3
Analysis:
Making it a crime to "mutilate, deface, defile or defy, trample upon, or cast contempt, either by word or act" on the flag was eliminated, perhaps in reaction of Supreme Court decisions striking down laws that banned flag burning.
More:
- Overview of State Laws on Flag Abuse, Burning, Desecration
- Index of State Laws on Flag Abuse, Burning, Desecration
