In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated, unless their context clearly indicates otherwise. “Institution” means a publicly or privately owned, leased, or used building, including:a school; a library; a recreation center; a meeting hall; or a cemetery. “Property" means real and personal property and includes the lot, grounds, and premises contiguous with or adjacent to real or personal property. “Religious real property” includes:a church, synagogue, meeting house, mosque, or other place of worship; a cemetery; a religious school, educational facility, community center, structure, or other real property used for any religious purpose; and the lot, premises, and grounds contiguous with or adjacent to the property described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this subsection. “Vandalize” means to deface, damage, destroy, or attempt to deface, damage, or destroy real or personal property. City Code, 1976/83, art. 19, §253 Ord. 98-380

The Baltimore City Police Department keeps records on incidents of criminal acts directed against individuals or groups because of the victim’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or national origin. These records show a particular increase in criminal acts directed against those who practice or espouse homosexuality. Investigations of incidents of vandalism, harassment, threats, physical harm, and the probable murder of homosexuals have increased dramatically in the past 5 years. The national media report a remarkable increase in crimes committed against homosexuals and, in particular, the grisly murder in October 1998 of a gay college student in Wyoming. <cite data-doc="Md. Code" data-path="27|470A">Article 27, § 470A of the Maryland Code</cite>, under the subtitle “Religious and Ethnic Crimes”, commonly described as the “hate crimes law”, prohibits a person from damaging the property of or committing crimes against a person because of that person’s race, color, religious beliefs, or national origin. That law does not include sexual orientation as a protected class. This subtitle adopts the State’s “Religious and Ethnic Crimes” subtitle and adds sexual orientation as a protected class of people who will benefit from the “hate crimes law”. City Code, 1976/83, art. 19, §252 Ord. 98-380

A person may not: vandalize religious property that is owned, leased, or used by any religious entity; obstruct, or attempt to obstruct by force or threat of force, a person in the free exercise of that person’s religious beliefs; harass or commit a crime on a person or damage the property of a person because of that person’s race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation; harass or commit a crime on an institution or damage the property of an institution:because of the institution’s contacts or association with a person or group of a particular race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation; or where there is evidence that exhibits animosity on the part of the person committing the act against a person or group because of that person’s or group’s race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation; vandalize or burn or attempt to burn any object on the property of a person because of that person’s race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation; vandalize or burn or attempt to burn any object on the property of an institution:because of the institution’s contacts or association with a person or group of a particular race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation; or where there is evidence that exhibits animosity on the part of the person committing the act against a person or group because of that person’s or group’s race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, or sexual orientation. City Code, 1976/83, art. 19, §254 Ord. 98-380

Any person who violates any provision of this subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 12 months or both fine and imprisonment. Each day that a violation continues is a separate offense. Prosecution of a person under this subtitle does not preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any other crime in addition to any penalties imposed under this subtitle. City Code, 1976/83, art. 19, §255 Ord. 98-380