ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage LGBT community center is flying a half-burned rainbow flag after someone vandalized the organization for the third time in less than a year.
The flag, which represents diversity within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, was found vandalized outside Identity Inc.’s Gay and Lesbian Community Center Tuesday morning, the Alaska Dispatch News reported (https://bit.ly/1JhL1Ks).
Identity Executive Director Drew Phoenix says the flag was found cut up twice in October, shortly after a U.S. District Court judge stuck down Alaska’s same-sex marriage ban.
“I think there’s a teaching moment here,” Phoenix said of the flag burning. “We think we live in an inclusive city and state, but the fact is hate crimes continue and it’s a real problem.”
Phoenix says Identity Inc. will replace the flag in a few days, but are flying it in its damaged state to raise awareness.
An Anchorage Police spokeswoman says officers classified the crime as arson, which will be handled by the Anchorage Fire Department.
City Ombudsman Darrel Hess saw the burnt flag during his early morning bike ride on Tuesday through downtown Anchorage, posting pictures on Facebook.
“We need to talk about (the vandalism), we need to discuss it and know that this type of ill does exist and as a community we need to say, ’this is not acceptable,’ ” he said.
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Information from: Alaska Dispatch News, https://www.adn.com
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