Vandals hit again

PRIDE GROUP IN TABER SAYS THEIR FLAG WAS BURNED AFTER PREVIOUS ONE WAS STOLEN

Organizers of a southern Alberta town’s first Pride event say they’ll raise a third rainbow flag after the first was stolen and the one they replaced it with was burned. Jillian Demontigny of the Taber Equality Alliance says her group was notified Sunday that a police officer noticed damage to the flag and scorch marks up the flagpole while driving past Confederation Park.

Demontigny says they’ve been told gasoline was used to light the pole on fire, partially melting the flag.

She says the group raised their original flag on June 12 when they held the town’s first Pride party in the park, and it was supposed to continue flying until the end of the month.

But she says that flag was stolen, so they raised another one in its place.

Demontigny says police have been helpful and will review surveillance video that may have captured the burning.

“They’re taking it very seriously. They’ve been very supportive and the town is ready for us to raise it a third time,” Demontigny said Sunday.

Earlier this month, vandals in Lethbridge defaced a rainbow crosswalk that was put in place to mark the city’s Pride festival.

Demontigny said the Taber Equality Alliance obtained permission in March from the town’s council to use the flagpole in the park after being denied use of the ones in front of the town hall. But she said even the vote by council to let them use the park flagpole was close.

She said the group marched in the town’s annual Cornfest parade last August without incident, and held its Pride party and flag-raising without disruption on June 12.

The flag burning has saddened members, but has also given them purpose.

“We are feeling very bold and determined and trying to figure out how we can make our contribution to the Cornfest parade from our group even better this year than what we had originally planned,” Demontigny said.

The Taber Police Service couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.

Demontigny said the police now have possession of the burned flag.

Their third Pride flag will be raised today at 5:30 p.m.

(Police are) taking it very seriously. They've been very supportive and the town is ready for us to raise it a third time. – Jillian Demontigny – Taber Equality Alliance