Flag vandalism has Pride president urging Londoners to act

Londoners should fly their rainbow flags this week to support a couple who had their flag ripped down and burned with cigarettes, says the president of Pride London. 

And they should do so year-round in solidarity with the LGBTQ community, Andrew Rosser added. 

"Flying a pride flag is a great step for any business or any home. It shows solidarity for our community and it shows that we support our community," Rosser said. "The pride flag is important this time of year but it's also important year-round." 

Many Londoners were shocked to learn an Old South couple had their pride flag ripped off its pole and burned with cigarettes. The flag was left on the couple's porch, folded up. 

"I was kind of stunned ... Part of me doesn't want to believe that it was a hate crime but it's possible that it was," said Steve Knott, whose partner discovered the desecrated flag on Tuesday morning. 

The couple has since filed a police report. 

Clark Bryan, the executive and artistic director of The Aeolian Hall, said he's not surprised such an incident took place. 

"There are a lot of people lingering in the shadow right now, waiting to lurch out at the LGBTQ community," Bryan said. "I really feel strong that in Canada we have the laws ... but we have a lot of work to do to change minds and hearts." 

Bryan says the pride and transgender flags fly outside The Aeolian Hall and he's always worried about the possibility of a hate incident. 

"We've had people walk by and look at the flags and curse," he said. 

"I think people who have held their opinions to themselves are really empowered to come out and attack, and I think we need to be vigilant and working as a community, constantly." 

Ray Grabo, who manages The Flag Shop on Exeter Road, said the cigarette burning is the third such incident he's heard about this year. 

"We only had one last year," he said. "It's such a shame to hear what happened, the desecration of the flag. There's no reason for that in our books." 

Grabo said a neighbour of the Wortley Village couple came in to replace their flag, and he sold it to the neighbour at a discount. 

"He was doing a nice gesture for them so we did a nice gesture for him," Grabo said. "Hopefully people become a little more sophisticated and aware." 

• Pride flag burned with cigarettes at Wortley Village home 

This year The Flag Shop is selling transgender flags for the first time, and they are selling fast. 

"We're very happy to feature a wide breadth of products, from lapel pins to car flags to very large flags, and everything else in between," Grabo said. 

With Sunday's pride parade around the corner, Rosser said he's heard from Londoners who are "mortified" about the flag burning. 

"This is one of the reasons why we need to celebrate pride. We need to celebrate together and have the best pride ever," Rosser said.