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A Michigan city may enforce its rule banning LGBTQ+ flags from being displayed on publicly owned property, according to a federal judge.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge David Lawson threw out a lawsuit targeting the city of Hamtramck, two years post the city council’s decision to allow only five types of flags to be flown. The approved list covers flags like the American flag, the Michigan flag, and those that “embody the international essence” of the community.
“Hamtramck’s refusal to display the Gay Pride flag did not violate the Constitution,” Lawson said.
During a Hamtramck city council meeting in June 2023, where the city decided to prohibit Pride flags on public properties, two women kissed in protest. As reported by Fox 2 Detroit, the incident highlighted local tensions.
“This Council upholds justice, impartiality towards our residents, and adherence to the law, among other values for our community. We recently approved a resolution to uphold these principles, but two commissioners blatantly disregarded it,” stated Council member Khalil Refai at the time.
Businesses and residents in Hamtramck may still fly Pride flags on their private property.
The U.S. Census Bureau notes that over 40% of Hamtramck’s 27,000 inhabitants were born overseas, with many originating from Yemen or Bangladesh.
Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib was nominated by President Donald Trump to be U.S. ambassador to Kuwait. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The city’s mayor, Amer Ghalib, a native of Yemen, was nominated by President Donald Trump to be U.S. ambassador to Kuwait.
In 2023, Ghalib, who practices Islam, remarked, “We’re not aiming at anyone specifically. Our intention is to prevent the rise of groups that could be extremist or discriminatory.”
