Civil rights charges filed against N.H. official over stolen Pride sign he called ‘roadside trash’ – The Boston Globe

CONCORD, N.H. — A town official in New Hampshire is facing civil rights charges from the state attorney general’s office for allegedly stealing a Pride sign because of his animus toward the LGBTQ+ community.

Frank T. Hobbs Jr., who is listed as vice chair of the Goffstown Budget Committee, allegedly plucked the “Goffstown Pride” sign from alongside an intersection last summer, leaving behind “numerous” other signs, according to a legal complaint New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella’s office filed this week in the Hillsborough County Superior Court northern district.

Hobbs, 56, was caught taking the sign on June 5 because the person who lawfully placed it there on public property had also left behind a trail camera to monitor the area after prior incidents of sign theft, according to the complaint.

When a local police officer began investigating, Hobbs argued with the officer and asked whether it’s illegal to pick up “roadside trash,” according to the complaint.

Hobbs told the officer he had been advised he can remove signs that display “pedophile symbols,” and he removed the “Goffstown Pride” sign because he found it offensive, like a “pedophile” sign, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges two violations of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act. One accuses Hobbs of trespassing and the other accuses him of damaging the sign.

“The trespasses and property damage violated the Civil Rights Act because they were motivated by Defendant’s animus toward sexual orientation and/or gender identity,” the complaint says.

Leslie M. Gill, an attorney who has represented Hobbs in a related criminal case, did not answer questions from The Boston Globe.

Hobbs, who works as a financial adviser, was elected to a three-year term on the town’s budget committee in 2022. He did not respond to an email seeking comment.

The victim who reported that their sign had been stolen did not respond to a request for comment.

Each alleged civil rights violation comes with a $5,000 maximum civil penalty, according to the attorney general’s office, which has asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction barring Hobbs from engaging in or threatening physical force, violence, or trespassing against anyone based on their protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and more.

This case against Hobbs as an individual comes as Formella’s office is also pursuing civil rights charges against a group accused of anti-LGBTQ+ intimidation at a drag queen story hour event.

Prosecutors are asking the judge to prohibit Hobbs from contacting the alleged victim directly or indirectly or going within 350 feet of their person, home, or workplace.

Hobbs was arrested in July by the Goffstown Police Department. He was charged in Goffstown District Court with one misdemeanor count that he stole a “Goffstown Pride” sign worth less than $1,000, but that charge was dropped in November, according to court records.

Hillsborough County Attorney John J. Coughlin did not respond to an email seeking comment on why the misdemeanor charge was dropped.

The location where the sign theft is alleged to have occurred, at the intersection of Route 114 and Route 114A in Goffstown, was a popular spot for political signs ahead of the 2024 general election. Hobbs was among those who stood with fellow supporters for Donald J. Trump on that corner on Oct. 11, with signs and flags supporting the candidacy of the now-president-elect.

Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.