Michigan city bans pride flags on public property

Josh Marcus
·2 min read
2

A Detroit-area community banned flying LGBTQ+ pride flags on public property on Wednesday.

The city council of Hamtramck, Michigan, a diverse 27,000-person enclave near Detroit, voted unanimously that the town would only fly the state flag, US flag, and flags representing the home nations of immigrants to the community, which has a large population of people born in Yemen and Bangladesh.

“You guys are welcome,” council member Nayeem Choudhury said during a council meeting ahead of the vote, according to the Associated Press. “(But) why do you have to have the flag shown on government property to be represented? You’re already represented. We already know who you are.”

Some on the council, all of whose members are Muslim, said the Pride flag clashes with beliefs of some of their constituents.

Councilman Mohammed Hassan, who authored the flag resolution, said he was “working for the people, what the majority of the people like.”

Some local officials criticised the decision.

“The City of Detroit proudly raises our Pride Flag at the start of every Pride Month and allows it to fly throughout the year to show our unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community and the diversity within,” Detroit mayor Mike Duggan wrote on Twitter. “It’s the role of city officials to ensure everyone feels welcome in their community, and everyone is welcome here in Detroit !!!!”

Hayley Cain told the council during the vote she chose to live in the small community because it was known for its diversity.

“I’m questioning whether it is. ... The pride flag represents making space for all humans on all the spectrums, and this is where we’re going as a human species,” Ms Cain said, according to the AP. “You can’t stop that.”

Other places including the California cities like Orange County, Huntington Beach, Redlands, and Delano have banned Pride flags on public property, according to Forbes.

Last year, Cold Spring, New York, decided it would only fly the state, US, and the prisoner of war flags on public property, after receiving requests to hoist Pride flags as well as the Ukrainian flag.

Schools districts as well as private companies like Exxon have also limited the flying of Pride flags.

A wave of flag related disputes and votes came following a 2022 US Supreme Court decision, which faulted Boston for denying to fly a religious flag on public property despite lacking clear policies about which flags it allowed.