Homophobic Man Arrested for Threatening to Shoot Down a Pride Flag
WCVB.Scammell also reportedly made “disparaging statements regarding the Jewish faith” in his voicemail, according to police. “The Hingham Police Department supports and stand with our LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities and we will not tolerate any threats or discrimination against them,” Hingham Police Chief David Jones said in a statement. “The men and women of this agency will vigorously investigate threats against any member of our community.”Jones added: “Hingham is a welcoming and accepting community and we will continue to work with our local stakeholders to ensure that our town is safe and inclusive for everyone.”Massachusetts Gov.
Maura Healey condemned the threatened violence and praised police for arresting Scammell before he could carry out his threats.“We will not tolerate hate in Massachusetts,” the governor told LGBTQ Nation, which first reported on the arrest. “We stand with the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities in Hingham, and I’m grateful for the swift work of law enforcement to hold this individual accountable.”“We’re disappointed to know that there are some who are so affected by the very existence of the LGBTQ+ community, that they would resort to threatening violence,” Dan Miller-Dempsey, of the LGBTQ group Hingham Pride Project, told LGBTQ Nation. “We’re thankful and proud that the Hingham Pride Project has succeeded in creating an environment in Hingham that is overwhelmingly supportive of our community.
We thank the Hingham Police Department and Chief David Jones for their unwavering support of the LGBTQ+ community.”Miller-Dempsey says the threat to vandalize the Pride flag at the shopping plaza comes amid a campaign by Hingham Pride Project to distribute free Pride flags for town residents to display.
