Pride Flags Target of Anti-LGBTIQ Vandalism in Several Communities
Pride flags have been the target of vandalism in communities around the country, and LGBTIQ advocates note that 'vandalism against LGBTQ symbols is unfortunately all too common.'
In the first few days of Pride Month, Pride flags have been the target of vandalism in communities around the country, from flags displayed churches in Utah and California to flags displayed as municipal decorations in New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
These acts of vandalism are happening as far right social media influencers are engaged in an online campaign of extremist anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric that seeks to normalize the erasure of the LGBTIQ community from public spaces.
Sarah Moore, senior manager of news and research at GLAAD, told Radical Reports that “vandalism against LGBTQ symbols is unfortunately all too common,” especially during Pride Month when the LGBTIQ community is more visible. GLAAD’s 2025 ALERT Desk report tracked 208 cases of vandalism and harassment targeting Pride symbols nationwide over the past year.
“Symbols like Pride flags are often seen as ‘soft targets’ — meaning they are easy to find and access in nearly every local community,” Moore said. “Nevertheless, we’ve seen incredible community responses to these acts of vandalism, including banding together to replace the stolen flags with dozens more.”
Pride flags were reportedly stolen from the First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City, which is a “congregation whose LGBTQ+ ministry dates back decades earlier than many of SLC's other progressive churches.” Curtis Price, the pastor of First Baptist Church, said the church’s pride flags are stolen “almost every year,” and that the “church has received hate mail regarding the practice.”
The flags that were stolen from First Baptist Church were replaced by Project Rainbow, a nonprofit that distributes thousands of Pride flags to organizations throughout the state.
Elsewhere in Utah, residents of the cities of Providence and North Logan reportedly found “anti-gay and white supremacist messages in front of homes with pro-LGBTQ+ displays,” and local law enforcement is reportedly investigating the incidents.
Ascension Lutheran Church in San Diego, California reported that their Pride Month banner had been torn down and vandalized for the second time in as many days, and “surveillance video showed a masked lookout nearby while two others tore down the framed banner.”
Rick Fry, pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church, said that “everybody's heart sank” when the Pride Month banner was discovered have been vandalized. “A lot of emotion and tears. It was an emotional Sunday. It felt like an attack on who we are as a community," Fry said.
The church is currently raising funds through a crowdfunding campaign in order to “continue to create and display visual symbols of LGBTQIA+ support, and expand outreach programs that affirm LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.”
GLAAD’s ALERT Desk has also tracked more than 150 anti-LGBTIQ incidents “targeting affirming faith-based communities in the US,” and these incidents “include 54 cases of vandalism, 38 cases of threats and harassment, 37 protests, 7 attempted arsons, 3 assaults, and 2 bomb threats.”
‘Vandalism against LGBTQ symbols is unfortunately all too common, especially as we approach Pride Month and our community is all the more visible.’
In Washington, D.C., the Sinners and Saints restaurant was the target of apparent anti-LGBTIQ vandalism, as the “glass from the restaurant's front door was broken,” and “homophobic slur had been scrawled on a wall.” Local Law enforcement is reportedly “investigating the break-in as a suspected hate crime.”
Local law enforcement in Washington, D.C. have also reportedly “responded to several recent incidents of vandalism to Pride decorations,” and unidentified individuals have allegedly “tore down rainbow wraps from poles in the area.”
Project Rainbow, an LGBTQIA+ fitness group in Apex, North Carolina, reportedly “claimed their pride flag was vandalized several times in the last few weeks,” including a recent incident when an unidentified individual “deliberately removed and destroyed a pride flag” — local law enforcement is reportedly investigating.
Tom Voss, the lead of Project Rainbow, said that it was disheartening that these types of incidents were happening in the community. "This is an inclusive community and, we feel great coming here and will continue to be here but when it happened again, it was kind of mind blowing,” Voss said.
In Sayreville, New Jersey, a Pride flag was raised outside the Sayreville Borough Hall, and within hours of being raised the flag was reportedly “damaged but still usable after the vandal tore it down.”
Glenn Skarzynski, the business administrator at Borough of Sayreville, said that “It was at the very least an act of vandalism,” and that local law enforcement “are looking to identify the miscreant responsible.”
In New Holland, Pennsylvania, local law enforcement is reportedly “trying to determine the identity of a man seen stealing and destroying multiple Pride flags from the same New Holland business,” and the man allegedly “damaged several flags last month and earlier this month.”
In Boise, Idaho, Pride flags have reportedly been vandalized, and for the fifth consecutive year “at least some of those flags have been vandalized or torn down.”
Far Right Social Media Campaign Targeting Pride Month
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