HRC Blog

Texas Law Enforcement Officials Recommend Suspects in Anti-LGB Vandalism Be Charged With Hate Crime

June 20, 2012 by Dan Rafter, Online Campaigns Manager

The Arlington, Texas, Police Department (APD) respondly swiftly and thoroughly to vandalism attacks that appear to have targeted one family based on the parents’ sexual orientation. APD announced this morning the arrest of five suspects and is recommending the District Attorney prosecute them under the state’s hate crimes law.

On the night of June 9, the suspects allegedly damaged 13 properties in an Arlington neighborhood. One of those was the home of a family headed by a same-sex couple. The back of the couple’s car included a sticker of two moms, a child, and a dog. The suspects spray-painted “faggot” and “queers” in large letters over the back of the vehicle. View the photo taken by one of the residents.

It is the correlation between the bumper sticker and the anti-LGBT slurs that police say indicates a hate crime. Texas law prohibits hate crimes based on sexual orientation but not gender identity. It includes property crimes as well as violent crimes.

HRC compliments the leadership of Fairness Fort Worth for their pro-active efforts on behalf of the victims of these horrible crimes. HRC continues to advocate for transgender-inclusive hate crimes laws at the state level.