Man Charged With Hate Crime For “Burning Rainbow Flag” During Brighton Pride Weekend

A man has been charged with hate crime-related arson after he allegedly set a rainbow flag on fire during Pride weekend in Brighton.

Moulay Abdelhakim Ismaili, 36, is accused of taking the flag from a garden in Beaconsfield Road, Brighton, and setting it on fire.

According to ‘Metro’ the man was then arrested and detained on suspicion of committing a homophobic hate-related crime. A spokesperson said: “We are committed to fully investigating reports of hate crime. If you have been a victim of or have witnessed a hate crime, we urge you to either report online, call us on 101, or 999 if it is an emergency.”

The incident took place just yards from Brighton's Preston Park, where this year's Pride festival was due to take place before it was cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic. An alternative stay-at-home event, Fabuloso, was organised to help keep the spirit of Pride going while ensuring revellers remained safe.

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