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“But 12 people that I don’t know, who have no investment in me or this congregation, said this man committed a crime, and it was crime borne of bigotry and hatred.” “I often experienced Ames as not being as progressive as many people believe it is, and there still is a very large closeted queer community here,” said the church’s pastor, Eileen Gebbie, who is herself a member of the LGBTQ community, after learning of the conviction. He made it clear he had no intention of fighting the charges, saying he was “guilty as charged.” “It was an honor to do that,” Martinez told a reporter regarding his actions. Martinez admitted what he had done to police, as well as to local news station KCCI. A jury found him guilty last month of a hate crime, third-degree arson, third-degree harassment, and reckless use of fire as a habitual offender. It was also unsettling for me, personally, as he spoke directly to me during the hearing and as he left the court room.” Since the incident, the pride flag has been replaced with a new one.An Iowa man who burned a church’s Pride flag has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.Īdolfo Martinez, 30, was sentenced on Wednesday on charges related to stealing the rainbow flag from Ames United Church and burning it in front of Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, on June 11. Adolfo Martinez, 30, was found guilty of a. Yes, as the law is written, he committed a hate crime. An Iowa man was sentenced to serve 16 years behind bars after he tore down a rainbow flag symbolizing gay pride from the front of a church and burned it. Yes, it is a crime to steal another's property and set it on fire. In a letter to her congregation, she writes: “It was a sad morning, as our neighbour restated his hateful feelings about LGBTQIA+ people in the name of God. Yes, Adolfo Martinez has an extensive criminal background. She claims Ames has a large closeted queer community.
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Pastor Eileen Gebbie, openly gay herself, agrees with the charges. Continuing: “I wish no harm upon any individual however if you guys are going to bring and forth and address it in such a manner than by all means necessary bring it forth bro, I have God on my side.” The welcoming and affirming Ames United Church of Christ, located downtown, existed in a. It is a blessing from the Lord, plain and simple,” he stated. A bubble of faith burst for a church in Ames this week after its gay pride flag was ripped down and burned. “It is my honour to do so, and it is an honour to that.
IOWA GAY PRIDE FLAG BURNING TV
To a local TV station, Martinez expressed how proud he was of his actions. Martinez got fifteen years jailtime for arson as a hate crime, one year for reckless use of fire and thirty days for harassment. Eventually, he was arrested by the police.
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When he got back to the strip club, he set the banner on fire. After that happened, he walked to the church and grabbed the pride banner that was hanging on the facade. Past June, The 30-year old Adolfo Martinez from the city of Ames was kicked out of a strip club. To local media, he expressed that it was “an honour” for him to burn the flag. American man sentenced to 16 years in prison after setting pride flag on fireĪ man from the American state of Iowa has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, after he took a pride flag down from a church and set it on fire.