United States' only Muslim-majority town, Hamtramck Michigan, BANS Pride flags on public property

On Tuesday, Hamtramck, Michigan's city council, unanimously voted to ban Pride flags from being displayed on public property. Located just outside Detroit, Hamtramck is the only Muslim-majority town in the United States.

The ruling was celebrated with cheers and applause inside City Hall, where dozens of concerned residents, Muslim and Christian, had shown up to express their thoughts on the matter.



According to the Detroit Free Press, the resolution was introduced by Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Mohammed Hassan, and applies not only to Pride flags, but also those promoting any "religious, ethnic, racial, political, or sexual orientation group."

"Only, the American flag, and the nations' flags that represent the international character of our City shall be flown," Hassan stated, adding that it was imperative to "maintain and confirm the neutrality of the city of Hamtramck towards its residents."
 

Hassan argued that allowing Pride flags to be flown on public property could lead down a slippery slope that ends with white supremacist and neo-Naxi groups asking for the same opportunity.

"The city does not want to open the door for radical or racist groups to ask for their flags to be flown," he wrote.

During the hours of debate that took place at City Hall prior to the vote on Tuesday, many Muslim residents and elected officials explained that the resolution was not motivated by hate.

Noting that a large number of his boards and commissions were made up of members of the LGBTQ community or allies, Mayor Amer Ghalib stated that his government's goal was to "serve everybody equally with no discrimination, but without favoritism."

Those opposed to the resolution argued that not flying the Pride flag was an act of bigotry, and that it would harm the community's chances of attracting investments. At one point, a lesbian couple stood in front of the room and kissed, causing many Muslims in the audience to look away or start praying.