'I Can't Lose Hope,' Waukesha Man Says After Flags Set On Fire

WAUKESHA, WI — "I felt targeted," Robert Thelen of Waukesha said about an American flag, a gay pride flag, and a Biden 2020 sign that were torched Sunday outside his home.

Thelen said people were getting ready for bed Sunday night when his niece noticed flames outside the window. The family called the Waukesha County Sheriff Department, which later respectfully disposed of the American flag and had it replaced courtesy of the Oconomowoc Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

Thelen told Patch he was shocked but not surprised the Biden sign was set on fire.

"I know where we live (Waukesha County) and it has a lot of Trump supporters, and we live right on the freeway on 59," Thelen said.

Thelen said he went on social media and saw many comments that accused him of making up the incident or insisting Trump supporters wouldn't do that. He also found remarks that said, "some kids probably did it."

Thelen firmly thinks the culprits were targeting the gay pride flag, which felt hurtful to him. While he said police think it was arson, Thelen believes it was a hate crime.

"We have no intention of being intimidated — we have a right to be who we are," said Thelen's father, Michael Neuberger.

Neuberger added that "haters hurt other people from the outside but they don't realize damaging themselves from the inside."

Thelen said he heard from friends who said the incident made them lose hope in humanity.

"I can't lose hope. I'm not going to let them terrorize me for being who am I," Thelen said.

A source of hope came unexpectedly in the form of Rep. Scott Allen, who stopped by the Waukesha home. Allen told the family what happened was "very unnecessary."

Mary Curry, a legislative aide, released the following statement from Allen.

“Political disagreement does not have to descend into ugly displays of violence and vandalism, and everyone in our community deserves to feel safe while expressing their views. We should expect better.”

In another surprising twist, a neighbor gave the family $20 to replace the flag.