NYPD search for men who ripped down Pride flag outside home
Two young men pulled down a Pride flag in Queens, New York. (NYPD)
Police in New York are looking for two men who ripped a Pride flag down from outside someone’s house.
On Saturday (17 June), the New York Police Department (NYPD) issued a CCTV video of an incident which occurred on Tuesday (13 June) at 7:23pm at 190 St & 75 Avenue in the Queens area of the city.
The footage shows two men walking past a house and taking note of its Pride progress flag hung outside, before briefly approaching via the property’s front yard.
Following this, the two possibly teenage suspects walked out of the view of the camera before returning wearing balaclavas. The pair then violently pulled the flag down and ran off with it.
The police force reported that due to the unlawful removal of the flag, damage was done to a fixture attached to the front of the residence.
Sharing details of the incident on Twitter, the police department said the pair are wanted for petty larceny and on suspicion of a hate crime.
“If you have any info DM @NYPDTips, or anonymously call 800-577-TIPS,” the force urged the public on Twitter.
This is not the first time so far this Pride Month a person’s Pride-related items have been damaged by bigots.
One day earlier, the NYPD called on the public to help identify three men in relation to a possible hate crime, following an incident where multiple Pride flags on display at New York City’s Stonewall National Monument were destroyed.
“It was reported to police that on Saturday 10 June, at approximately 0310 hours, three unknown male individuals were walking past the Stonewall National Monument in Christopher Park and began breaking multiple LGBTQIA+ Pride flags that were displayed on a fence,” the force said.
“The individuals then fled on foot.”
The monument is adjacent to the Stonewall Inn, a queer nightclub which became the site of historic rights in June 1969 and launched the modern day LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Across the pond in Bristol, in the west of England, a couple had their rainbow coloured doormat vandalised with black spray paint outside their front door.
Author Susie Day, who lives in the property with her partner, said the incident was “really horrible and invasive” especially because they had only recently moved to the area.
However, the couple’s neighbours rallied around them and showed support for the LGBTQ+ community buying their own Pride doormats in a show of solidarity.
NYPD hate crime statistics show there were four recorded hate crimes in the city in May.
Anyone who has witnessed or experienced a hate crime is urged to call the police on 101, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit the True Vision website. In an emergency, always dial 999.
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