A pride flag that was found ripped at First Lutheran Church in Palo Alto on Tuesday, May 16, is under investigation as a hate crime, police said.
A church employee called police dispatch to report the vandalism at 600 Homer Ave. shortly before 11 a.m., according to a police press release.
Police determined that the flag and its mounting bracket set up outside the church had been taken down and left on the ground sometime between May 7 and 11, according to the release. The wall where the flag was on display also was damaged.
The department had no information on a suspect as of Wednesday morning, May 17. Investigators have not found a tie between the vandalism at First Lutheran and other past hate-crime vandalism cases.
"The city of Palo Alto strongly denounces hate crimes of all kinds," the press release states.
Anyone with information about the vandalism case at First Lutheran or any other hate crimes is asked to call the department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413 or 911 in the event of an emergency. Anonymous tips can be emailed to [email protected] or sent by text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984.
Comments
Registered user
another community
on May 17, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Registered user
on May 17, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Can we get a capital P on that word Pride, to give a clue what we're talking about? Or how about an actual LGBTQ+ Pride flag and a description that LGBTQ+ members are a protected minority? To simply say "The city of Palo Alto strongly denounces hate crimes of all kinds," without any context is ridiculous. Many people have no idea what a Pride flag means. As for witnesses, how about going door to door in the 7 story building across the street? Or do we just give lip service to "all kinds of" hate crimes, instead of finding the perpetrators, arresting and charging them?