Pride flag 'violently ripped' down and stolen from Burlington, Ont. home
Laural Adams flies a Pride flag outside her Burlington, Ont. home every June for Pride Month. She does it to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ2+ community.
On Friday, her porch camera caught the moment the flag was stolen from her property.
“Somebody came to our house, violently ripped it down, smashed part of the light and took it,” Adams said.
“I’m proud to be an ally and it just made me really sad, because I thought we were moving in the right direction.”
She reported the incident to Halton Regional Police and contacted her local MP Karina Gould.
“Now, during Pride Month, it is even more important for us to acknowledge that we still have work to here in Burlington, in Canada to ensure a truly welcoming and inclusive community,“ Gould wrote in a statement.
Another Burlington resident, Christine Parkinson, had her pride sign stolen last month.
“A total of 11 flags were stolen from nine houses. Six flags were returned,” a Halton police spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement to CTV News Toronto.
“Some lawn signs were returned to residences last week, along with a note of apology,” the statement reads.
Police went on to say that the suspects have not been identified and investigators cannot confirm whether or not the thefts are related.
Adams says she hopes the incident will serve as a teaching opportunity.
“I hope other parents are educating their kids that this isn’t a funny teenage joke. This is actually a hate crime,” she said.
There has been controversy in the neighbourhood over flying a flag, says Adams.
It comes after a recent decision by the Halton Catholic School Board not to raise the Pride flag at its schools in June.
She got her flag from a non-profit organization called PFLAG Canada. PFLAG’s Halton chapter says they’ve seen an increase in demand this Pride month.
“We launched a Fly the Flag in Halton campaign and have sold 300+ flags in the region,” a spokesperson said.
Adams says she’s saddened by the situation, but the increase is “a good sign.”
“I think there’s good and bad to it, but hopefully the good will prevail.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.