Maryland

Pride flag ripped down at Bethesda church

Police haven’t determined if incident was hate crime

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2023

A two-story Pride banner on the side of Bethesda United Methodist Church was damaged last week. (Photo courtesy Bethesda United Methodist Church)

An unidentified suspect was captured on a video security camera on Nov. 7 tearing up and pulling down part of a two-story tall LGBTQ Pride banner from the outside wall of Bethesda United Methodist Church in Bethesda, Md., according to Montgomery County police.

WTOP News and the online news site MOCO 360 report that one of the church’s ministers, Dennis Williams, was the first to discover the damaged Pride banner as he was leaving the church on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

“I’m a member of the LGBTQIA+ community,” MOCO 360 quoted Williams as saying. “It was gut wrenching,” he told the news site. “It made me emotional, because we belong to a church that is so welcoming and has embraced us as a family so well. It was really sad to see.”

WTOP reports that police said a preliminary investigation found that on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at around 9:35 p.m. an unidentified suspect walked to the church’s property, damaged the flag, and left the scene.

Williams told WTOP the video shows a person in a white hoodie initially trying to pull the banner down before using something to cut it. WTOP reports police have not yet determined whether the incident was a hate crime.

MOCO 360 reports the suspect’s features are not distinguishable on the video recording. It reports the incident took place about an hour after the last parishioner left the church following an event.

Williams told WTOP the church will be putting up a new Pride banner to replace the damaged one. He told MOCO 360 the church put up the Pride banner in June in recognition of Pride Month.

“It is important for our church to put [the banner] up so the LGBTQ+ community knows we’re a supportive church,” he told the online news site.

The church is located at 8300 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda.

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Maryland

Democrats hold leads in almost every race of Annapolis municipal election

Jared Littmann ahead in mayor’s race.

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2025

Baltimore Banner

Preliminary election results from Tuesday show Democrats likely will remain in control of Annapolis City Hall. Jared Littmann thanks his wife, Marlene Niefeld, as he addresses supporters after polls closed Tuesday night. (Photo by Rick Hutzell for the Baltimore Banner)

By CODY BOTELER | The Democratic candidates in the Annapolis election held early leads in the races for mayor and nearly every city council seat, according to unofficial results released on election night.

Jared Littmann, a former alderman and the owner of K&B Ace Hardware, did not go so far as to declare victory in his race to be the next mayor of Annapolis, but said he’s optimistic that the mail-in ballots to be counted later this week will support his lead.

Littmannn said November and December will “fly by” as he plans to meet with the city department heads and chiefs to “pepper them with questions.”

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

Maryland

Moore keeps redistricting push alive in Md. amid national map fights

Senate President Bill Ferguson opposes move.

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2025

Baltimore Banner

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks at the Human Rights Campaign's National Dinner in D.C. on Sept. 13, 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

By PAMELA WOOD | Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is preserving the possibility of congressional redistricting by creating a commission overseen by a political ally that will issue recommendations for new maps.

“My commitment has been clear from day one — we will explore every avenue possible to make sure Maryland has fair and representative maps,” Moore said in a statement Tuesday outlining the new commission.

The move comes less than a week after Senate President Bill Ferguson, a fellow Democrat, threw cold water on the idea of redrawing the maps to favor their party.

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

Maryland

LGBTQ Marylanders invited to participate in community needs survey

Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs conducting poll through Dec. 1.

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2025

Shreya Jyotishi

A Baltimore Pride 2025 float. The Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs is conducting a survey to understand the experiences and needs of LGBTQ Maryland residents. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs is conducting a survey to understand the experiences and needs of LGBTQ Maryland residents.

According to the commission, the results of the community needs assessment will shape policies, programs and resources available to the state’s LGBTQ individuals. The commission is organizing the survey in partnership with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1.

Respondents can expect the anonymous questionnaire, which predominately consists of multiple choice questions, to take 15-20 minutes to complete. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and in good physical and mental health, according to the survey’s informed consent statement.

The Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs in 2021 to evaluate challenges faced by the state’s LGBTQ community, shape inclusive policies, combat discrimination and establish best practices for LGBTQ inclusion. The commission functions within the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and consists of 15 members appointed by the governor.

Those interested can complete the survey via the Survey Monkey link.