New York, Jul 6 (IANS): An Illinois-based man was arrested after he set the US flag on fire and posted photos on the social networking site Facebook, a media report said on Tuesday.

Bryton Mellott, 22, posted several photos on Facebook earlier this week, showing him with a burning flag. He also posted a statement why he is "not proud" to be an American, Fox59.com reported.

"In this moment, being proud of my country is to ignore the atrocities committed against people of color, people living in poverty, people who identify as women, and against my own queer community on a daily," quoted Mellott posted.

Before the photos were deleted, they had gove viral on social media.

Police said they made the decision to arrest him after consulting with the Champaign County State Attorney's office and weighing his free speech rights against concerns of public safety, the report added.

Mellott was released after receiving a notice to appear in the court later.