Neighbor Steals Omaha Couple's Pride Flag And Sets It On Fire
When Ariann Anderson and Jess Meadows-Anderson awoke early Sunday morning and heard a noise, they thought their house was being burglarized.
Later, when the couple's neighbor ran down the street with a burning object in his hand, it became clear what had been stolen: the pride flag from their front porch.
The neighbor, 23-year-old Cameron Mayfield, was charged on counts of second degree felony arson and resisting arrest.
The women have already put a replacement flag in place, but say it was hard explaining the incident to their daughter. "It's just a reminder that hate is still out there," Anderson told WOWT-TV.
"You almost feel bad for a minute," Meadows-Anderson added. "He's a young man and he made a hate-filled, drunken mistake that will have a lasting effect on his life and his family."
The incident, which the couple called a "direct attack," came just before a federal judge ruled Nebraska's same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional. The county attorney's office says it's considering adding hate-crime charges against Mayfield.
h/t: Gay Star News