Not “torch” in the British sense, which I read as “flashlight” but “torch” as in a burning wrap of some sort of cloth on the end of a stick. In other words, if I decided to take a late night stroll and made myself an honest-to-goodness burning torch to light my way, am I likely to be arrested if a police officer spots me?
It depends on the state but I don’t see how. Many people have Tiki torches among other things that you can buy in lots of places. I don’t see how carrying one around would be any different.
As long as you respect his/her boundaries, you can carry a torch for whomever you want for as long as you want. But take it too far, and that’s illegal harassment.
I’d only be worried if your friends were along and had pitchforks heading toward the castle on the hill at the edge of town.
IANAL but my WAG is that carrying a torch in and of itself wouldn’t be specifically illegal but there may be statutes about “endangering public safety” or “public burning” or the like that might come into play.
You should be ok so long as you stay out of open flame restricted areas. During dry seasons this can be whole counties. Since it’s going to draw attention in that it’s unusual, you had better be ready to answer a cop what you’re doing. Just because it’s not illegal doesn’t mean you won’t be questioned, and not answering can get you arrested. fire codes often stop you from having open flames at gathering, especially in building. The local churches must use electric candles or have the flame enclosed by a glass chimney in a fixture.
Are you contemplating alternative Olympic games?
Or merely paying a social call on Victor Frankenstein?
Every jurisdiction is different. My guess would be that it would fall under a local ordinance rather than a state law. For a not guess I can tell you that possessing a torch is not illegal in New Jersey. However many towns and cities have open burning statutes. Especially in more densely populated areas. For instance in the town I work in it would be covered in the local ordinance. But where I live is different. I have a 55 gallon drum I use as a burn barrel in my back yard.
Your chances of being arrested would be zero. As it would be a local ordinance violation and not a crime there would be no arrest. I ticket could be issued. If found guilty there would be nothing on your criminal record since it was not a crime, just a local ordinance. If you didn’t show up for court you could get arrested but that would be for contempt, not the original offense. Of course this would all change if you used the torch in a criminal manner.