Man charged after LGBT flag set alight during Brighton Pride
4 August 2020, 15:54
A man has been charged with hate crime-related arson after a pride flag was snatched from a garden and burnt.
Moulay Abdelhakim Ismaili, 36, is accused of taking the flag was taken from a garden in Beaconsfield Road, Brighton, during the city's LGBT+ festival.
The incident happened at 9.55pm on Sunday, Sussex Police said.
The city's popular annual Pride festival, which attracted around 300,000 people last year, was due to take place last weekend but was cancelled due to coronavirus rules.
READ MORE: Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters march in Brighton
Instead people were urged to decorate their houses with rainbow colours and take part in an online event, named Fabuloso.
Ismaili has been remanded in custody to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
Sussex Police have asked anyone who has seen or been a victim of or have witnessed a hate crime to get in touch.
You are able to report online, call them on 101, or 999 if it is an emergency.
