Michigan city may ban LGBTQ+ flags on public property, judge rules

A Michigan city may enforce its rule banning LGBTQ flags from being displayed on publicly owned property according to a federal judge U S District Judge David Lawson dismissed a lawsuit against the city of Hamtramck on Monday two years after the city council voted to allow only five flags including the American flag the Michigan flag and flags that represent the international character of the area Hamtramck s refusal to display the Gay Pride flag did not violate the Constitution Lawson explained MCHIGAN CITY VOTES AGAINST ALLOWING PRIDE FLAGS ON COMMUNITY PROPERTY AFTER CONTENTIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGOpponents of the guidelines reported Hamtramck which is known for welcoming immigrants was violating free speech by banning Pride flags but Lawson noted the approach was constitutional because it bans all private flags not just selected A Pride flag was displayed in and before several members of the all-Muslim council argued that it challenged the beliefs of particular members' faith The council voted in favor of the agenda in June The following month two members of the city's Human Relations Commission were removed from their positions for flying Pride flags on city property MICHIGAN CITY COMMISSIONERS REMOVED AFTER FLYING PRIDE FLAG IN VIOLATION OF ORDINANCE DEFIED 'RULE OF LAW' This Council believes in fairness neutrality towards our residents and the rule of law amongst other things for this neighborhood We passed a resolution just now to do just that and two of our sworn commissioners outright defied it and did what they desired Council member Khalil Refai announced in a message at the time Businesses and residents in Hamtramck may still fly Pride flags on their private property More than of the city's residents were born in other countries according to the U S Census Bureau A substantial percentage of these foreign-born residents are of Yemeni or Bangladeshi descent CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe city's mayor Amer Ghalib a native of Yemen was nominated by President Donald Trump to be U S ambassador to Kuwait We re not targeting anybody Ghalib who is also Muslim disclosed in We are trying to close the door for other groups that could be extremist or racist The Associated Press contributed to this description