Windsor police are looking for information after two separate Pride flags were tampered with outside a secondary school.
Staff and students at Massey Secondary School raised a rainbow flag on Wednesday as a kickoff to June being Pride Month. Shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, security camera footage picked up two males, likely young people, breaking the flagpole's lock and stealing the Pride flag. They were last seen running westbound along Liberty Street.
Constable Talya Natyshak said the flag was replaced, but on Monday police were called back to the school on a report that the replacement flag was burned. Security camera images confirmed the second incident took place around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. The Canadian flag on the pole was also damaged.
"The Windsor Police Service denounces all criminal acts, especially those that promote hatred," said Natyshak in a media release. "We understand that these incidents will have far-reaching victimization impacts on community members, and we are available to offer support to students, staff, and any community members impacted."
The Windsor police Morality Unit is heading the investigation, as is standard procedure for incidents of bias or hate.
Residents living near Massey Secondary School are asked to check any security or doorbell camera footage and call Windsor police if they see anything unusual.
Anyone with information should call Windsor police's Morality Unit at (519) 255-6700, ext. 4343. Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (519) 258-TIPS (8477).
