Hamtramck Bans Flying LGBTQ+ Pride Flags On City Property

HAMTRAMCK, MI — The Hamtramck City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday that bans all LGBTQ+, religious, ethnic, racial and political flags from being flown on city property.

The measure, called a "Resolution to Maintain and Confirm the Neutrality Of the City of Hamtramck Towards Its Residents," only bans the flags on city property. Community members can still fly pride flags on their own private property.

Council members passed the measure after an hours-long heated debate in a packed city conference room, where some the resolution as an attack on the LGBTQ+ community.

One woman, wearing a clown nose, sarcastically said Hamtramck should change its slogan to say the city "welcomes you if you're straight," before she kissed a woman standing next to her.

Council members said all LGBTQ+ people are welcomed in Hamtramck, but said they should also respect religious freedom, as some proponents of the resolution said the Pride flag clashes with their faith.

"I think the elephants in the room, the thing that we are not talking about, is that homosexuality is a sin," one man said.

Before the vote, Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib said, "we serve everybody equally with no discrimination, but without favoritism," adding, "if you let one flag in, you’ll have to let all of the flags in."

Patch reached out to Hamtramck City Manager Max Garbarino, who declined to comment.

Piast Institute CEO Virginia L. Skrzyniarz told Patch someone ripped down a Pride flag from the center's building last week and threw it in the trash. Hamtramck Police confirmed to Patch they were investigating the incident.

Later that day, Ghalib said in a statement posted on the city's Facebook page: "We denounce any vandalism or hate crime. Especially against anyone or their property for religious affiliation, political views, or sexual orientation, which makes it particularly egregious. I also condemn all criminal acts designed to stifle debate and freedom of expression, which, along with religious and press freedom, are the most important rights protected by our First Amendment."

The Institute, a Polish-American research center, replaced the flag with a much larger banner displaying the Pride colors, Skrzyniarz said. The banner was placed much higher on the building, where someone would need a ladder to tear down, Skrzyniarz said.

The new resolution only allows the U.S., Michigan, Hamtramck and the Prisoner of War flags to fly on city property. It also allows a nation's flag, one that represents the city's immigrant history.

Hamtramck, which saw a 27 percent increase in population over the last decade, has the highest percentage of immigrants among cities in Michigan. Nearly half of the city's population reports Yemeni or Bangladeshi descent, according to the U.S. Census. Hamtramck is also the only city in the U.S. with an all-Muslim city council and mayor.