What started as a late-night stunt involving scooters and Pride flags has turned into a national controversy—with many calling it a bizarre overreaction by Atlanta police and prosecutors.
Four Georgia teens were arrested early Tuesday after police say they ripped down LGBTQ Pride flags and did motorized scooter tricks on a rainbow-painted crosswalk in midtown Atlanta. The group allegedly slashed the flags with knives and fled the scene when cops showed up. Two suspects are still on the run.
Surveillance footage released by police shows the teens riding scooters and holding the flags near the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street—an area known for its LGBTQ landmarks. The crosswalk, painted in rainbow colors, was installed to honor the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, according to FOX5.
The arrested include Geami McCarroll, 17; Logan Matthison, 18; Ahmed Mechkouri, 18; and an unnamed 16-year-old. They’re facing charges including criminal damage to property and obstruction—and possibly hate crime enhancements.
But while local authorities signal they’re taking the matter seriously, the internet has other ideas.
The response online has been swift—and brutal.
Police Double Down as Critics Cry “Overreach”
Despite the backlash, Atlanta Police say they’re standing by their investigation. In a press conference, Sgt. Brandon Hayes said, “We take this community very seriously, and we want to make sure residents feel safe.”
Under Georgia’s hate crime law, if the teens are found to have acted out of bias, they could face years in prison on top of existing charges. Critics of such laws argue they criminalize thought and politicize prosecution.
The teens’ alleged behavior—vandalizing flags and pulling stunts in a high-profile LGBTQ area—is undisputed. But whether it justifies hate crime enhancements is now fueling a full-blown debate far beyond Georgia.
Atlanta’s DA has yet to confirm if the hate crime charges will be filed. But online, the verdict is already in: this case is spinning out of control.
