Latest news with #MichaelRapoza
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Boston Globe
R.I. man arrested after allegedly throwing Cape Verdean flag to the ground and stomping on it
Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up Police said around noon, Marsden approached City Hall on a moped and walked up to flags on display outside the building's entrance. He then allegedly threw the American and Cape Verdean flags to the ground, officials said. Advertisement 'Witnesses reported that Marsden was observed specifically stomping on the Cape Verdean flag. The incident was captured on a surveillance video,' police said. Posted by Marsden was charged with vandalism, disorderly conduct, and 'weapons other than Firearms Prohibited (knife),' according to authorities. Police said officials were working with the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office to determine if 'additional hate crime enhancements will be pursued in this case.' 'Our agency takes these acts of vandalism seriously and will pursue hate crime enhancements when warranted,' Acting Police Chief Michael Rapoza said in a statement. Advertisement 'There is no place for this type of behavior in our city,' Rapoza added. Marsden was scheduled to be arraigned in Providence County District Court on Thursday morning, police said. Christopher Gavin can be reached at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Caught with Nazi flag, mopped driver stomped on Cape Verdean flag outside East Prov. City Hall
EAST PROVIDENCE – A Lincoln man faces vandalism and other charges after he stomped on a Cape Verdean flag posted outside City Hall during a Cape Verdean Independence Day ceremony on July 2, according to the East Providence police. When police caught up to the 27-year-old man riding away on a moped, they found him to have a large Nazi flag and a 6-inch knife. The incident happened around noon, while the ceremony was being held inside City Hall. The police say the man drove up to City Hall on a moped, walked up to three flags outside the entrance and threw both the United States flag and the Cape Verdean flag onto the ground. Witnesses reported that the man stomped on the Cape Verdean flag, and the incident was caught on a video surveillance camera. The police said they caught the man a short distance from City Hall. The man is being charged with vandalism, disorderly conduct and possession of a prohibited weapon. He is scheduled for arraignment on July 3 in District Court, Providence. The East Providence police are consulting with the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office to determine whether to pursue hate crime enhancements. "The City of East Providence takes great pride in being a diverse, inclusive and welcoming community for all,' Mayor Bob DaSilva said in a press release. "There is no room in this city for acts of hatred and vandalism. Our administration condemns all hateful acts and will continue to make it abundantly clear that East Providence is an inclusive community where hate is neither welcome nor tolerated." Acting Police Chief Michael Rapoza said, "Our agency takes these acts of vandalism seriously and will pursue hate crime enhancements when warranted. I'd like to thank the ceremony attendees for alerting the police and our officers who responded quickly and apprehended the suspect. There is no place for this type of behavior in our city." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Charged with vandalism, man knocked over U.S., Cape Verdean flags
