Cannot Fly American Flag on stick in Richmond, VA

This post from a GORUCK Cadre (Special Forces vet) leading an event there.

So I was just told by a capitol police officer here in Richmond that I can't fly any flag on a stick. I had the GORUCK flag and the American flag. I wanted to make sure I wasn't just hearing things so I wanted to confirm that he said that I can't fly the American flag. So I wasn't just hearing things. I then told him, "You mean to tell me that I can't fly the American flag?" That's when this officer said that flying a flag on a stick is a sign of protesting. WOW! Not happening! I'll gladly go to jail over that one!

So, how as a country have we come to this? Someone explain the thought process behind this kind of lawmaking to me. And then justify it with some kind of logic that actually is, you know, logical.