B’klyn church threatened over gay flag
A Brooklyn church got a sinful call this Holy Week.
A ranting man left a threatening voicemail Wednesday with the Union Church of Bay Ridge, complaining about its tolerance of gays and vowing to do it harm if it did not remove an LGBT flag (below) from its notice board.
The man said he would rip the flag out with a crowbar and added, “If you don’t take it down, you will lose everything,” the Presbyterian church’s pastor said Thursday.
“He might just be blowing hot air, but we have to take it seriously,” said Rev. Bob Anderle.
The church replaced a “very small” LGBTQ flag on its notice board last month after one had fallen off. A week after placing it on the outside of its plexiglass-covered board, Anderle noticed it was gone, so it was replaced again.
“We proclaim a Christian gospel that is tolerant of LGBT individuals,” he said.
The caller left his vile message around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and called from a blocked number, said Anderle, who ended his conversation with the Daily News to speak with police officer.
“I really just think it’s an old crank in the neighborhood — I hope,” said Jen Kruger, an administrator at the church. “It’s disappointing.”
“Absolutely horrified to share that Union Church of #BayRidge received threats of destruction of property last night due to its support for #LGBTQ people,” Democratic City Councilman Justin Brannan, who represents the area, tweeted Thursday. “The @NYPD68Pct has been notified and is on scene.”
Anderle said he doesn’t think the timing is related to the Easter holiday and is simply a matter of someone who’s “intolerant of the gay community.”