PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Police in Pittsfield Township are investigating multiple thefts of Pride flags and Black Lives Matter signs.
One of the incidents was caught on camera, and police say it is the second time it has happened.
Residents said they’re trying to spread love, but neighbors want to know why it’s happening now, as some of their flags and signs have been up for years with no issues.
A home security camera on Crane Road captured a man pulling down a pride flag on Friday (Feb. 9).
His next target was a Black Lives Matter sign, for which he appears to have saved most of his rage as he slammed it to the ground and ripped it up while his driver told him to hurry up.
The man hopped in the SUV, and they drove off. Neighbors say there have been repeated acts at homes along the street, and they say, unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time.
“It is a shock because in the eight years I have lived here, we have never had a problem,” said Dr. Kristy Short.
“When there is an attack on a symbol of my existence, that’s an attack on me, my right to exist and I’m not going to be silenced on that,” said Cupcake Volny.
After the first incident, neighbors doubled down on making their neighborhood a welcoming place as they wanted to send a strong message to the responsible people.
“They took two flags from me this time, so I am going to hang four, and if those get vandalized, we will hang eight, and we can just keep playing this game,” Volny said.
“I actually bought mine in bulk, so every time I buy them, a donation gets made to an LGBBTQ organization,” Short said.
“One of the silver linings of this whole thing is that it has really brought our community together,” said Liz Urmy.
One Pride flag wasn’t stolen this time because one resident raised theirs up higher, making it out of reach.
Others may do the same this time after the recent incidents in the community.