Crime Watch: Five juveniles will not be charged with pride flag thefts

By Charles Sercombe
Last week we reported on the rash of pride flag thefts from homes and businesses.
City officials had promised to make catching the suspects a “high priority.”
This week, Police Chief Anne Moise told The Review there’s been some progress in the department’s investigation into the matter.
“The detectives were able to identify five juveniles involved in several incidents of thefts of pride flags,” Moise said.
“Their parents were all issued parental responsibility tickets. They were all advised that if this continues, with their involvement being identified, the matter would be turned over to juvenile court for prosecution.”
Parental responsibility tickets are issued to parents for criminal acts by their children, and parents can be held liable for damages up to $2,500.
Because the suspects are all minors, the police department does not release their identities.
The rash of thefts and ongoing threats, including death threats, that Hamtramck’s LGBTQ community and their supporters have experienced has escalated ever since the mayor and city council banned the display of pride flags on public property, said Josh Hansknecht.
Hansknecht is part of the Hamtramck Queer Alliance, which has been tracking incidents of LGBTQ threats and thefts. He recently questioned the city council and mayor as to what they intend to do about the matter.
“As a homeowner here in Hamtramck, and a queer person, I want to feel safe here,” Hansknecht said.
He said for those in the LGBTQ community, “It has been continued fear, and I’m wondering what the council is planning.”
Hansknecht questioned whether there will be a task force created to combat the issue; if councilmembers plan to visit establishments that have experienced threats; and whether the police department will label the crimes as “hate crimes” instead of simply as “malicious destruction of property.”
Mayor Amer Ghalib replied, promising that “there will be some kind of punishment” for those caught committing such crimes.
Asked if he was satisfied with the police department not seeking charges for the juveniles involved in the thefts of pride flags, Hansknecht said:
“I speak on behalf of the Hamtramck Queer Alliance to say that we are very encouraged by the seriousness our local justice department has taken towards the recent outbreak of anti-LGBTQ vandalisms and hate.
“It is nice to know that if someone chooses to attack the LGBTQ community, there will be consequences.”
Hansknecht added that there is more work to be done by city officials.
“We believe the city council and the mayor are role-models to many in the city, including many youth. So far, they have modeled how to take down pride flags. We ask the council and the mayor to instead model treating LGBTQ residents with respect and dignity,” Hansknecht said.
“We ask that they attend our big events, patronize our businesses, say hi to us on the street and otherwise treat us like any other respected cultural community in this city. This will make a huge difference in how the people in this city treat one another.”
Phillip Kwik, a former city councilmember, has been more critical of the council and mayor on this, and other, issues.
He said the ongoing incidents of thefts and threats to the LGBTQ community “are the direct result of an environment of hate created by the city council and mayor of this city. The vandals and petty thugs harassing the LGBT community are taking their cues from the mayor’s and council’s hateful rhetoric at their Tuesday meetings. … The mayor and council are responsible for the hatred they have unleashed. They need to stop it.”
Posted Aug. 11, 2023