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'Festivus' Pole Will Poke Fun At President-Elect

A “Festivus” pole will reappear in the Florida Capitol this year as a mock holiday celebration after officials granted a request by free-speech advocates with the Religious Liberty Project. 

Executive director Chaz Stevens says this year’s display focuses on President-elect Donald Trump and his recent call to strip flag burners of their citizenship.

The five-foot pole is shorter than last year, a reference to the president elect’s hands, which became an issue in the campaign.

“It’s wrapped in an American flag, but upside down American flag. That flag is a signal of distress. The pole this year is topped with the infamous red, ‘Make America Great Again’ hat.”

Stevens says the base of the display will be surrounded by a miniature fence, a reference to Trump’s immigration policy.

A Miami native, former WFSU reporter Jim Ash is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.