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Vandal accused of painting swastikas, stealing Pride flags, facing 22 civil rights violations

By Bryan Lambert, Boston 25 News Staff

Police: Several businesses, places of worship, hit with hateful graffiti in Portsmouth, NH Police: Several businesses, places of worship, hit with hateful graffiti in Portsmouth, NH

By Bryan Lambert, Boston 25 News Staff

PORTSMOUTH, NH — The suspect behind an alleged string of hate-filled acts in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has been brought up on 22 counts of civil rights violations.

Loren Faulkner allegedly gratified spray-painted swastikas and defaced items in support of people of color and the LGBTQ+ community in February.

Ten businesses and places of worship were defaced by Faulkner, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office. The vandalism spree also included defacing a rainbow park bench at Portsmouth Place Apartments, destroying a LGBTQ+ Pride flag at St. John’s Episcopal Church, defacing a Black Heritage Trail sign and vandalizing a litany of signs and mural expressing support for marginalized communities.

The civil complaint also alleges that Faulker’s actions were motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and national origin.

Additionally, the complaint also accuses Faulker of damaging property and spraying hateful, antisemitic and homophobic graffiti at several locations throughout the city in April 2022. Faulkner allegedly also recorded a video of himself burning a Ukranian flag while denouncing the country, its residents and LGBTQ+ people before distributing the video to the Sophomore class at Portsmouth High School.

“Hateful acts that are motivated by intolerance for our fellow citizens have no place in New Hampshire and will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General John Formella in a statement. “The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including robust enforcement of the State’s Civil Rights Act, to combat hate and ensure that New Hampshire remains a place where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and have the opportunity to live their lives free from discrimination, fear, and intimidation.”

Each civil rights violation carries a maximum fine of $5,000. The New Hampshire Civil Rights Unit has asked the court to implement a restraining order to protect the victims from Faulkner

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