Legal Obligation to Fly Chilean Flag
The law in Chile requires that all citizens fly the Chilean flag on three specific days each year:
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September 18th and 19th when Chileans celebrate their independence and las fiestas patrias.
The law states that you can only fly the Chilean flag on those three days. You may not fly the flag on any other day of the year unless you have express governmental permission to do so.
Naturally you’ll see the Chilean flag flown over governmental buildings but if you pay attention, you won’t see it anywhere else.
However, on the required three days, you’ll see the Chilean flag almost everywhere. Just be sure you display the Chilean flag properly, or you could get fined by the police (Carabineros).
There have been recent movements and legislative efforts to allow Chileans to fly their flag any day of the year as long as it is displayed properly and given respect. However, they haven’t yet resulted in an official change to the law.
Posted August 19th, 2009 in Culture.
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I cannot believe that this law exists.
The police here actually make it a priority to look for houses that don’t have a flag flying on the 18th.
There are so many things wrong with that.
I don’t understand how this can be their priority or even a concern, especially when there are so many other problems in this country- people seem to be allowed to throw garbage in the street without consequence (I have witnessed this, in front of police officers, yet not a word mentioned by the cop).
I also think that being obligated to fly a flag creates false patriotism, let the people choose. What a wonderful image it would be to have all the houses in Chile proudly flying their flag, if we knew it was by choice and not necessarily out of fear of having to pay a fine if caught without a flag.
Thank you for listening to my opinion.
September 16, 2009
I knwo that this law sounds bad, but actually it’s not that you’ll go to jail if you fly the flag out of those three days. Also people like to fly the flag, they’re not doing it because of that law. Actually many people don’t even know that that law exists, they just fly the flag cos they want to.
I also like to fly it those three days, I’m chilean.
June 15, 2010