US high schoolers suspended for burning Pride flag, yelling ‘all gays die’
The students burned a Pride flag. (Pexels)
Two US high school footballers who allegedly burned a Pride flag and yelled “all gays die” in a Snapchat video have been suspended from their team and are being investigated by police.
The two students were from a school in Utah and were reported to Granite School District officials on Monday (June 17) when someone reposted the video on social media.
According to ABC News, the coach of the school football team told local TV station KSTU: “There’s no place for that in our program at all, and it won’t be tolerated. It’s potentially a hate crime, so it sickens me.
“We have one rule in our program and that is not to embarrass yourself, your family or your team and, obviously, that rule was broken. So, there’s got to be consequences for that.”
A spokesperson for the school district, Ben Horsley, told ABC News that there would be an independent investigation by the district which could result in community service or suspension from school.
He said police had also been notified.
Police are looking into the anti-gay Snapchat video
Horsley said: “We are having police look at it to ensure that there is no criminal implications. Looking at the video, whether if it was intended as a joke or as a serious and broad threat against LGBTQ individuals, it’s still a reprehensible act. We need to condemn hatred and bigotry wherever we see it.”
“We want those two individuals to understand the implications of their actions and educate them on why it’s inappropriate,” he continued.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, the goal of our football team, the goal of our schools, is to create respectful, caring, empathetic individuals with high character and moral standards. And obviously, this type of activity is not conducive for that.”
The incident has taken place during Pride month when other Pride flag burnings have been taking place across the US.
