Town responds powerfully after thief steals over 200 Pride flags overnight

Someone stole over 200 rainbow Pride flags from the small rural town of Carlisle, Massachusetts in the early morning hours of May 27, just a few days before the start of Pride Month. But while police searched for the thief, community members replaced the stolen flags within hours of their theft. Now, local officials are speaking out to let everyone know that hate is not welcome in their town.

In the small town of roughly 5,200 people, the flags decorated the outside of the local Rotary Club near a traffic roundabout at the town’s center. While police said no anti-gay incidents have been recently reported in the area, according to The Daily Beast, investigators are still asking residents for any information about suspicious activity on the night of the theft.

Related: Toronto unveils the world’s longest rainbow in celebration of Pride

The art installation is 600 meters long and celebrates the city’s queer history.

Soon after the discovery of the theft, community members banded together and replaced the stolen flags. Police chief Andrew Amendola also had a message for the unknown culprit.

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“We are taking this very seriously,” Amendola said, according to WFXT. “It is unfortunate, as Carlisle is an inclusive community, and we want everyone to feel safe and welcomed here.”

In a public Facebook post, Travis Snell, chairman of the Carlisle Select Board, wrote, “On behalf of the Town of Carlisle, the Select Board would like to reiterate that Carlisle is an inclusive community that respects its freedoms and the rights of individuals. Stealing property and undermining freedom of expression is a cowardly act and has no place in our town.”

“Such action and behavior have no place in Carlisle and our police department is working to identify whoever is responsible and they will be held accountable,” Snell added.

Despite the theft, the town has already held several official Pride Month events. On Friday, May 31, it held a Pride Kick-off Festival with games, music, and guest speaker Gregory Maguire, the gay author of the 1995 book Wicked, a fictional novel based on The Wizard of Oz. The stage musical adaptation of Maguire’s book will be released as a film in late November. The city also has several historic panels and informational talks scheduled for later this month.

Carlisle is 67 miles north of Seekonk, a small Massachusetts community where pro-LGBTQ+ organizers have continued organizing despite blowback from local right-wingers.

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