Hingham Board of Selectmen Responds To Thin Blue Line Flag Fight

HINGHAM, MA — The Hingham Board of Selectmen said a directive to the Hingham firefighters union to remove "Thin Blue Line" flags from its apparatus is consistent with town policy, as the board decried the harassment that it said the resident who filed a complaint asking for the removal of the flags has received in recent days.

The Board of Selectmen said that while it supports all of its public safety workers, only a few select flags are approved to be displayed on town property — noting that the town also refused a request to place a "Rainbow" flag on town property in honor of LGBTQ+ pride during Pride Month.

"This was a practice that had been applied in the prior month to the Rainbow flag, with the same result," the Board of Selectmen said in a statement on Wednesday. "No group has more respect for the men and women of the police department than the Board of Selectmen. We demand a commitment to public service combined with high levels of skills and an appreciation of the sensitivity needed to deliver public safety in a challenging environment."

The Hingham Firefighters Local 2398 said the flag was a tribute to late Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna on the second anniversary of his in-the-line-of-duty shooting death last week. The union said it then decided to keep the flags on the apparatus as a tribute to all local police.

The union said last week that, while it did not agree with the town's decision to remove the flags, it would comply with the order. But it reversed course on Monday after Local 2398 president Lt. Chris Melanson said it did not receive the clarification of the rule from the town it was seeking, and based on support from the community to keep flying the flags.

"At this time the Hingham Firefighters of Local 2398 respectfully request the town reconsider their decision to deem these flags as political statements," Melanson posted on Local 2398's Facebook page. "Otherwise, we regret to inform you that over the past four days no member of Local 2398 was able to sacrifice his or her moral fortitude in order to remove the flags from the apparatus. As we said before, our support for our brothers and sisters in blue is unwavering. The flags have continued to fly with honor every day. They will have to be removed by someone other than a member of this union."

The Board of Selectmen said the person issuing the complaint expressed respect for the town police, but said the flag has become "a political symbol, most often used to counter Black Lives Matter and the fight against rampant policy brutality."

The Board of Selectmen asked harassment of the person filing the complaint, and his family, to stop.

"In the last week he has received numerous threats against his property and his life," the statement said. "The harassment is ceaseless and vicious. And it has recently expanded to target the welfare and safety of his family. Such conduct debases any attempt at public discourse and makes hypocrites of those who would call for respect for public safety officers while simultaneously threatening the safety of others.

"When petitioning the Board of Selectmen leads to name calling, character assassination, intimidation and threats of physical violence, this only serves to deface all flags that we might choose to display in honor of our peace officers."

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