When a hidden camera captured 56-year-old Frank Hobbs Jr. stealing a woman’s pro-LGBTQ+ yard signs last June, the New Hampshire man claimed that municipal officials in Goffstown had given him permission to remove “pedophile symbols.” But now he’s being charged with violating state civil rights laws and could face thousands in fines.

Hobbs was recorded removing a pro-LGBTQ+ sign from a town intersection and placing it in his car in June 2024. The woman set up the camera after one of her “Goffstown Pride” signs went missing.

Related

Vile & “deeply concerning” graffiti scrawled outside Pride group headquarters

When asked about the sign theft, Hobbs denied knowing anything about it. But when police informed him of the incriminating video footage, he said that he found the signs personally offensive and claimed that city officials told him he could remove signs that displayed “pedophile symbols.”

Hobbs, right-wing politicians, and Christian conservatives have repeatedly claimed that LGBTQ+ people and their allies are “groomers” who wish to “sexualize” and sexually abuse children. These claims encourage acts of violence and vandalism against queer people and their friends.

Never Miss a Beat

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Local law enforcement said Hobbs was easily recognizable in the video because he’s well known in the community, WBTS-CD reported. In response to his alleged theft, the New Hampshire Department of Justice filed a complaint accusing Hobbs of violating the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act.

A judge ruled that Hobbs’ actions constituted destruction of property and were “motivated by the victim’s support for members of the LGBTQ+ community and interfered with her right to engage in lawful expressive activity.”

“These identity-based or bias-based behaviors and unlawful acts create a perception in the community that this may not be a safe place if you’re a person who identifies as LGBTQ+ if these signs are getting torn down,” said Senior Assistant New Hampshire Attorney General Sean Locke.

The state Civil Rights Act allows for a maximum civil penalty of $5,000 for each violation as well as a three-year probationary period. A December court hearing will determine the penalties Hobbs will face. The state attorney general has requested a civil penalty and a restraining order, preventing Hobbs from contacting his accuser.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.