Teens face hate crime charges for cutting up LGBTQ Pride flags on Pride crosswalk in Atlanta

Atlanta police arrested four teens early Tuesday morning who have been accused of defacing Pride flags outside of a popular LGBTQ bar in midtown. Authorities said the defendants may face hate crime charges, which could result in penalties including jail time. Two suspects remain at large, police said.

According to the Atlanta Police Department (APD), officers responded to reports of vandalism at 1:40 am after witnesses claimed to have observed six men stealing Pride flags hanging in front of the bar and using knives to cut into them. The teens were also seen performing motorized scooter stunts on the notable rainbow-colored crosswalks at the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street.

While contacting authorities, a 911 caller stated, "They're in the middle of the street popping wheelies, tearing up flags." The six teens fled on scooters when officers arrived on the scene. Shortly after, four of them were apprehended, while two teens remain at large.

Surveillance video released by APD shows the group on scooters at the rainbow-colored crosswalk with Pride flags in hand. The crosswalk was installed in 2017 to honor the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, the New York Times reported.

During a press conference, APD Sgt. Brandon Hayes stated that the department takes "this community very seriously, and we want to make sure residents feel safe."

The arrested individuals have been identified as three teens from Dallas, Georgia - Geami McCarroll, 17, Logan Matthison, 18, and Ahmed Mechkouri, 18 - and a 16-year-old from Taylorsville, whose identity has not been released due to his age. All four of them were arrested on charges including obstruction, criminal damage to property, conspiracy, and prowling. Atlanta Police said hate crime charges were pending, according to a local news station. Additionally, the father of the 16-year-old suspect has been cited for failing to supervise his son.

Detectives said the teens travelled to midtown Atlanta with the intent to conduct vandalism. 

Georgia enacted a hate crime statute in 2020, allowing judges to apply additional penalties if a crime is proven to be motivated by bias against a victim's race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or other traits. A misdemeanor offense carries an additional six to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, whereas felonies can result in two to 12 years in prison.