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Baltimore house fires investigated as potential anti-gay hate crime

Pride flags set ablaze, three people injured

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(Photo by Jim Becker)

Baltimore police are investigating a fire that injured three people as a potential anti-gay hate crime.

Firefighters and police were called to a home on East 31st Street in North Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood on Wednesday at 4:30 a.m. and found two separate fires. A home sporting Pride décor was set on fire, which injured three people, and the Pride flag on a house across the street was also ablaze.

The house fire resulted in damages to multiple houses and sent a 30-year-old woman and 57-year-old man in the hospital in critical condition, and a 74-year-old man in the hospital in serious condition. According to a press release sent to the Washington Blade by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s office, the 30-year-old woman has since been released from the hospital, but the men remain hospitalized in critical and serious condition.

In photos of the scene shared by the Baltimore Fire Department, one home appeared to be completely burnt out, and an adjacent home appeared to have sustained considerable fire damage. According to the Fire Department, all the houses’ residents made it out, but the motives behind the blaze remain unconfirmed. 

“I have been on the scene, spoken with residents, and received updates from BCFD and BPD on the investigation status,” Scott said. “At this point, we cannot confirm that this was a hate crime. However, my agencies will bring every appropriate resource to bear to get to the bottom of this tragic event. Regardless, I continue to stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community.”

According to Scott’s press release; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI are assisting in a joint operation between the city of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Police Department and the Baltimore Fire Department to investigate the causes and origins of the fire. 

This is not the first time Pride flags have burned in Baltimore.

Just over a month ago, a man was caught on camera lighting rainbow flags on fire, resulting in a police investigation. In the aftermath of that incident, the neighborhood rallied in support of the LGBTQ+ community, ordering more than 100 Pride flags to give out to residents. After this more recent — and more damaging — fire, Police Commissioner Michael S. Harrison reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting its residents from hateful acts.

“It is completely unacceptable that there are now lives at risk and homes destroyed due to the actions of persons who have no regard for the lives and property of others,” Harrison said. “While we are still working to determine the details and motives for these incidents, I want to say that the BPD, the city and our communities will not tolerate any criminal behavior of any sort, let alone actions that may stem from hatred, bias and other bigoted attacks.”

(Photo by Jim Becker)
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Maryland

Md. Senate passes transgender sanctuary bill

Measure passed by 33-13 vote margin

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Maryland Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would make Maryland a sanctuary state for transgender people who are seeking gender-affirming health care and providers who offer it.

Senate Bill 119 passed by a 33-13 vote margin.

State Sens. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard Counties), Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County) and Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery County) introduced SB 119. An identical bill has been put forth in the Maryland House of Delegates.

A law that requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatments took effect on Jan. 1.

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Maryland

Protests interrupt Moms for Liberty meeting about removing books in Howard County schools

Guest speaker led book-removal campaign in Carroll County

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Gabriella Monroe holds a poster that says 'Ban Bigotry Not Books' outside Howard County’s Central Branch library in Columbia on Feb. 26, 2024 (Photo by Sam Mallon for the Baltimore Banner)

BY KRISTEN GRIFFITH | When a Howard County chapter of Moms for Liberty wanted to learn how to remove books from schools, they were met with a swarm of protesters sporting rainbow colors and signs looking to send the message that such actions are not welcome in their district.

The conservative parents’ group met Monday night at Howard’s Central Branch library in Columbia to brainstorm how they could get books they deemed inappropriate out of their children’s school libraries. Their guest speaker for the evening was Jessica Garland, who led a successful book-removal campaign in Carroll County. The Howard chapter wanted the playbook.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Are Md. prisons out of bounds with federal requirements for trans prisoners?

Department of Correctional Services says transgender prisoners ‘housed according to physical genitalia’

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BY BEN CONARCK | Nearly a year after formerly incarcerated transgender people testified to Maryland lawmakers about the troubling conditions they faced in state prisons and Baltimore jails, the agency in charge of their care continues to violate federal standards in how it houses trans prisoners, according to a coalition of trans rights advocates.

The Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition, bolstered by policy experts and attorneys, contends that while the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services has made some strides towards improving conditions, its policy of housing trans prisoners “according to physical genitalia” violates the federal standard that those individuals should be housed on a case-by-case basis determined by health and safety and any security problems, among other factors. The group laid out its argument in a 15-page memo presented to the department and lawmakers this week.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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