By Ashley Silver
Police1
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio man recently removed a thin blue line flag from his home that has been the focal point of a months-long battle with his homeowners’ association.
Tom DiSario has flown his thin blue line flag in honor of his son, Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Eric DiSario, who was killed in the line of duty in May 2017. According to WBNS News, the issue began in May 2022 when DiSario received a letter from his HOA saying the thin blue line flag was “a political statement,” which went against the deed he agreed to and signed.
“To me, [the flag] represents my son,” DiSario told 10TV in May.
Earlier this year, many of DiSario’s neighbors supported him in his decision to fly the flag and added flags of their own in protest. In order to change the rule, the HOA required 75% of homeowners to agree to the change. There was a vote taken, but only 50 people voted in favor of the change, which wasn’t the majority of all homeowners.
WBNS reported that DiSario was told this week that he had 10 days to take the flag down or be fined $175 and face a lawsuit. After a salute to his flag on Wednesday, DiSario unwrapped the ropes on the flag pole and removed the flag.
“[I’m] upset,” DiSario told the media platform. “[I’m] pissed.”
He’s plans to file a discrimination lawsuit against the HOA.
“Every officer in the state of Ohio when I’m done will be able to fly this flag without any HOA telling them to take it down,” he told WBNS. “This flag here should represent the police officers that are killed in the line of duty every single day and I will fight until I have no breath in me.”
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