Three teenagers have been arrested in connection to a hate crime that occurred at Bay View High School in Upper Tantallon last month.

Nova Scotia RCMP received reports that a pride flag had been removed from the school and brought outside where it was then burned. One of the three youths who were arrested took a video of the incident.

Information gathered by investigators, in consultation with the Halifax Regional Police Hate Crimes Unit, shows that the flag burning was motivated by hate.

“[It’s important] to remember here, that these incidents are very serious in nature and that the RCMP condemns these criminal acts that are motivated by hate,” said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay.

The youths were each individually requested to appear at the Tantallon RCMP detachment with a parent or guardian earlier this week, where they were then arrested.

They were all charged with mischief and one of them also received a charge of abetting. Cpl. Tremblay explained that the charge of mischief and being charged with a hate crime carry the same maximum sentence of 2 years in prison for adults. He said the teens were charged with mischief in this case because the act of burning a flag was a case of mischief motivated by hate, rather than a public incitement of hatred.

The three teenagers will appear in Halifax Youth Justice Court on May 25^th.