He was intercepted and arrested by the Ames Police Department.” According to a statement from the church, “a 30 year old man who lives one block from our church tore down the God is Still Speaking queer pride banner from the southwest corner of our sanctuary and tried to set it on fire. The incident took place Monday evening, Jat the Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th street. AMES – An Ames man found guilty of a hate crime after he tore a gay pride flag off the wall of a church and tried to burn it this past summer got a stiff prison sentence of 15 years, minimum.
