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Benjamin Michael, 44, was seen walking by the Dapper Dog Tattoo Shop in Annapolis when he stopped and tore down a Pride flag the business had displayed by its door, according to authorities.
A former member of the U.S. Marine Corps has been charged with a hate crime after a Maryland tattoo shop's surveillance camera seemingly caught him tearing down their LGBTQ+ Pride flag.
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Benjamin Michael, 44, was seen walking by the Dapper Dog Tattoo Shop in Annapolis around 1 a.m. Nov. 15 when he stopped and allegedly tore down a Pride flag the business had displayed by its door, video posted by owner Charlie Garrett seems to show. Michael allegedly took the flag, which read "ABIDE NO HATRED," and put it in a nearby trash can.
Garrett contacted the police afterward and posted footage of the incident on social media, asking for help identifying the man and promising "anyone who provides us information leading to his arrest will get hooked up big time from an artist of their choosing, free of charge."
The incident marked the third time someone had torn down the shop's Pride flag, which Garrett told The Associated Press spurred him to install the security camera. The measure worked, as an employee at a nearby restaurant reached out the next day, telling law enforcement that she recognized the man to be Michael because she had served him the same night and had his name from the credit receipt.
Michael is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Marine Corps veteran from 2004 to 2013, according to the outlet. He has been issued a summons and charged with malicious destruction of property as well as a hate crime.
Michael's attorney, Norman Frost, told USA Today that "my client did not intend to destroy or deface that flag and my client does not have any hatred towards any protected class or sexual orientation or any race," adding that, somehow, "the video does not depict evidence which proves that he hates anyone."
Dapper Dog celebrated the developments in a follow-up post online, thanking "the local community, our beloved clients, and the internet" for their help.
"Within 6 hours we had a name. Within 12 hours the [Annapolis police department] issued several charges. Within 24 hours, contact was made," it wrote. "We will always be a safe place for every human that walks through this door, no exceptions. We take being the friendliest shop very seriously and will stop at nothing to protect that. Thank you all for the support and kindness. We love this town."
