Decorah Human Rights Commission Chair: Pride flags in Decorah have been stolen or damaged

Decorah Human Rights Commission Chair Melissa Koch has told City of Decorah officials that Pride flags hung in Decorah have been stolen or damaged.

She reminded Decorah City Council members Tuesday night that hate crime activity in Decorah led to the request that the city fly Pride flags during the last Pride observance.

Koch told the city council that there have been "many concerns and many people have come to us" about hate crimes in Decorah.

She says a formal complaint about a hate crime was filed during this year with the HRC, but it occurred outside the Decorah city limits, so the Human Rights Commission did not have supervision over it.  The HRC has since contacted state officials to learn what can be done in situations like this.