A newly installed rainbow crosswalk at Palmer Secondary in Vancouver, Canada, has fallen victim to repeated acts of homophobic vandalism. This comes when Pride Week is being celebrated across the city.
Images provided to the Richmond News reveal extensive defacement at every corner of the vibrant crosswalk on Wednesday. A reporter who visited the site later spotted additional graffiti on the surrounding sidewalks.
A local witness noted that this marked the third time the crosswalk had been trashed since its recent installation.
David Sadler, a spokesperson for the Richmond School District, affirmed that immediate measures are being undertaken to remove the offensive graffiti and restore the crosswalk. Additionally, the school district has coordinated for enhanced security presence in the vicinity to prevent further incidents.
No suspects have been identified in connection to the defacement, according to the Richmond RCMP.
The Youth Section team has maintained contact with the school despite the summer break and provided the necessary support, said Sgt. Gurbir Mondair, Richmond RCMP spokesperson. They are also performing proactive patrols in the community.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the city. The previous year, a rainbow crosswalk on Minoru Boulevard was marked with an “X”, an act that sparked public outrage.
However, this series of unfortunate events has not dampened the spirit of Pride Week, which is in full swing from July 31 to August 6. The city witnessed a historic inaugural Pride Walk in Steveston last Saturday, where hundreds of community members rallied to celebrate love and inclusion. Further marking the occasion, the Pride flag was hoisted for the first time at Richmond City Hall.
