4 minor teens arrested in hate crime on eve of Bellingham Pride celebration, police say
Four teens were arrested early Friday on hate crime charges in an attack that occurred near the starting point for this weekend’s Pride in Bellingham Parade.
“Four teenage males were arrested for a hate crime offense after assaulting and threatening (three victims) based on their race and sexual orientation,” according to an entry in the Bellingham Police daily activity report.
It was reported at 3:24 a.m. Friday in the 1200 block of Granary Ave., which is near the Acid Ball and Waypoint Park, where the Pride in Bellingham Parade is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday.
Names and ages of the victims and the suspects were not released.
All four suspects in the crime — which is listed as a felony — are minors, so they weren’t booked into Whatcom County Jail.
The Bellingham Herald has contacted police and other city officials for comment.
A total of 12 hate crimes were reported to Whatcom County police agencies in 2021, the latest year that data was available from the FBI.
Last November, a swastika was painted on a sidewalk at Waypoint Park.
This story was originally published July 7, 2023 at 11:30 AM.
