PALM SPRINGS, Calif., April 20 (UPI) -- Two Canadian nationals told police they had torn down a U.S. flag outside Palm Springs, Calif., unaware it was a memorial to Sept. 11, 2001, terror victims.
Ryan Smith, 25, and Matt Siefert, 26, told La Quinta police they had torn down the flag and replaced it with a Canadian flag atop a mountain outside of town, The Desert Sun reported Tuesday .
The men said they did it Feb. 28 after the Canadian Olympic hockey team defeated the U.S. team for the gold medal in Vancouver, Lt. Jason Huskey told the newspaper.
Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Bill Fiebig, told the newspaper the men were "remorseful" and had no idea the U.S. flag had been erected as a tribute to the terror attack victims and to U.S. soldiers fighting overseas.
Prosecutors have recommended state misdemeanor charges of vandalism and flag desecration, which carry a maximum one-year jail term, the newspaper said.
