Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille Win Flag Battle
Chalk up a win for a local patriotic restaurant who just wanted to honor five local men who were killed in the line of duty.
According to WZZM, a new law has been passed in the state of Michigan that protects some flags the city of Grand Rapids ordered to be taken down at Brann's Steakhouse & Grille located on Leonard Street. The city said the flags violated a city ordinance that cited the number and size of flags on businesses.
Johnny Brann, owner of the steakhouse, refused to take down the flags saying, "I wasn't going to let the fallen hero families down. It meant a lot for their sons to be remembered, and I was committed to making that happen."
The flag controversy made its way to Lansing where are U.S. Army veteran and state representative Jason Wentworth decided to introduce a bill keeping local governments from designing ordinances that regulate or just won't allow signage that commemorates military, police, firefighters and first responders who die in the line of service.
The bill was signed into law on December 27.
Brann when on to say, "I'm happy to say that it's over. We're hoping that now that it's legal in the state of Michigan for people to fly these flags that it will encourage people to do it all over."