A Kansas family posted photos of a scorched LGBTQ Pride flag they said someone had set on fire overnight outside of their home while they were sleeping. The flag was stolen two weeks ago and was found in a neighbor's yard. After that incident, several of their neighbors also put up Pride flags in solidarity.
Wrote Micala Gingrich-Gaylord on Facebook: “Last night between 12 midnight and 7am someone set our pride flag on fire. After it was stolen last week many folks in our neighborhood put up flags. Police and news have been called. This is so far beyond vandalism and falls squarely into a hate crime. Please watch out for on another. This could have set our home on fire.”
This is not a gay family that was targeted, The Sunflower reports: “Zachary has lived in Riverside for seven years with his wife, Micala, and their family. He said this was the first time his family has experienced an apparent hate crime, a crime motivated by prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or other grounds. Police responded within the hour. The Gingrich-Gaylord family filed a police report with an officer who stated it would be classified as an aggravated arson and hate crime. They were told that the neighborhood police would be posting flyers of the crime around the neighborhood. Additionally, the police force's LGBT liaison sergeant, Vanessa Rusco, has been contacted and is aware of the situation.”
