Authorities probe burned, missing LGBTQ+ flags from Grosse Pointe Farms church
Jakkar AimeryGrosse Pointe Farms authorities and the FBI are probing two incidents at a local church where LGBTQ+ flags were reportedly burned and stolen last week, officials said.
An advisory was emailed out to residents on Friday noting that authorities were investigating the incident and all leads were being followed up on in Grosse Pointe Farms, police said.
Reached Tuesday, Lt. Antonino Trupiano of the Grosse Pointe Farms Department of Public Safety said investigators have a three-day window of when the flag was burned but they have "no suspects, no video, (and) no one's come forward to say they know anything."
A pride flag was last seen flying at Christ Church Grosse Pointe around noon on Sept. 10, according to Gross Pointe Farms police Det. Derek Lazarski. Three days later, remnants of the burned flag were discovered around 9:30 a.m., near the base of the pole, he added.
The church does not have a security camera system, Lazarski noted.
He said on Saturday, a tip was called in to the FBI, reporting that a replacement Progress Pride flag was also torn down and stolen from the church property.
Investigators have not been able to land substantial leads to crack the case.
On Sunday, WE GP, a local LGBTQ+ organization, took to social media to offer support for Christ Church, providing ways for residents throughout Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods to acquire free Progress Pride flags to fly in solidary with the LGBTQ+ community.
"We are disheartened to learn that the Progress Pride flag Christ Church raised yesterday (to replace the Pride flag the church had proudly flown for years that was burned) was torn down overnight," the group said on Facebook. "WE GP continues our call for our neighbors to stand in visible and resolute solidarity and support with our LGBTQ community and our Christ Church neighbors by flying Pride flags."
With the help of volunteers, the group said it had delivered more than 200 Progress Pride flags since Friday.
Christ Church Grosse Pointe officials could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, WE GP said they will continue to "fly our Pride flags with LOVE and with an unwavering commitment to the safety, equal rights and dignity of our LGBTQ community."
The incident isn't the only time similar flags have faced attacks in Metro Detroit.
In June, vandals targeted a pride flag display outside the sign for the Northside Associated Ministries building in Ann Arbor.
The incidents unfolded after the Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGTBQ+ Americans, citing what the civil rights group called an historic wave of rhetoric and legislation.
Also in June, the Hamtramck City Council approved a proposed neutrality flag resolution.
The proposal called for the ban of all but five flags from being flown on city properties — including the American flag, the state of Michigan flag, the Hamtramck flag and the Prisoner of War flag.
Weeks later, two members of a Hamtramck human rights commission raised an LGBTQ+ flag on a city flagpole Sunday, arguing the move the city approved was "unconstitutional."
jaimery@detroitnews.com