A man has been arrested in Germany for destroying an LGBT flag outside a Catholic church

In the city of Mannheim, police arrested a 58-year-old local resident suspected of property damage following an incident involving a rainbow flag displayed at St. Sebastian Catholic Church. The incident caused a stir and was referred to a specialized unit of the criminal police, according to the Catholic News Agency.

The incident occurred on July 13: the man used a saw to cut down the metal flagpole on which the LGBT flag was displayed. The structure fell onto the city’s market square, after which the perpetrator fled the scene. The flag had been raised by the parish priest, Father Lukas Glocker, as a sign of support for the local “Monnem Pride” event.

According to the priest, this symbol was intended to demonstrate “respect for every person regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, religion, appearance, or skin color.” The pastor promptly filed a report with law enforcement, which led to a swift investigation of the incident by the Heidelberg Criminal Police Department and the subsequent arrest of the suspect.

As a reminder, we previously reported that in Budapest, a 58-year-old man became the subject of a criminal case after removing LGBT flags from the Elizabeth Bridge. If found guilty, the suspect could face a fine of approximately 2.6 million forints and up to three years in prison on charges of causing significant property damage.