Over a dozen locals claim that they are now the object of animosity from a local politician, which has made them more worried about their safety in their tiny community.
Several locals accused 24-year-old Christopher Allen of doxxing speeches, posting contentious statements on social media, and acting cruelly in order to obtain political influence during a public meeting on Monday night.
Residents claimed that he was attempting to split us.
The uproar started on July 19 when Allen shared pictures of front yards with American flags displayed in a distress-signal fashion next to campaign signs for council candidate Josh Johnson on Facebook.
Allen clarified his statement by saying, “I cannot condone this kind of disrespect, and it’s appalling that a council candidate would support such behavior.” Allen was drawing attention to disrespect to the national emblem.
Allen proposed a resolution a few days after the social media post, which mandated that the pledge of allegiance be the first item on the agenda for any public meeting carrying out official duties and that the US flag be flown in all municipal facility meeting rooms.
Allen called this law “common sense.”
The pledge of allegiance is not now recited at meetings of the Belvidere Community Center and Pool Committee, where Allen is the council liaison. A municipal clerk claims that members are free to choose how to carry out the promise.
Allen said that before asking town attorney Kevin Benbrook to create the resolution, he did not ask about include the pledge on committee meeting agendas.
At its meeting on Monday evening, the Town Council proposed a motion to require the promise.
Before the following meeting, council members were asked by Mayor Kathleen Miers to get input from their different committees.
The resolution was deemed an overreach by the locals who seemed to oppose it. With the exception of state education boards, public bodies are not required by New Jersey state law to recite the pledgee.
On Monday, Lisabeth Klein, a constitutional law lawyer from Belvidere, came out against Allen’s resolution, describing it as coercive.
According to her, the Supreme Court has already decided that a government cannot use a statute, a resolution, or societal pressure masquerading as patriotism to compel anyone—not even schoolchildren—to recite the pledge of allegiance or make a symbolic act of nationalism.
Many of the locals Allen addressed in his Facebook post said they had never interacted with him before. They urged the council to reconsider approving the contentious resolution and to be more thoughtful about how its members use social media.
Since the post was published, Courtney Johnson, who co-owns Belvidere Books with her husband, has reported feeling insecure at home.
Councilman Allen purposefully put up a sign with our address because he knows I have two young sons under three, she added.
At Monday’s meeting, Allen and Councilwoman Tammy Koop voted against a motion that established social media guidelines for council members.
Allen said, “I’m not going to address a post made to my personal Facebook account at this meeting,” in response to being questioned about the incident.
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