Police investigating vandalism to transgender pride flag crosswalk
Posted Apr 27, 2023 05:12:41 PM.
Last Updated Apr 27, 2023 05:32:17 PM.
A vandalism incident in downtown Kitchener is under investigation.
The City of Kitchener confirmed to CityNews that it was made aware of graffiti on the transgender pride flag crosswalk at Joseph Street and Gaukel Street on Wednesday afternoon.
The graffiti was cleaned up Thursday morning at a cost of $300 and the city said police were notified.
A spokesperson with the Waterloo Regional Police Service confirmed they were investigating the incident, but was unable to verify whether the graffiti is believed to be hate-motivated.
The service is asking anyone with information on the graffiti to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
The transgender pride flag crosswalk was installed in 2021 outside the entrance to Victoria Park, adjacent to an updated rainbow progress pride flag crosswalk in the same area.
Police announced in August that they were investigating after hate-motivated writing was found on a crosswalk at Joseph and Gaukel streets. It was never specified which crosswalk was targeted. The original rainbow crosswalk at the intersection, which was installed in 2018, had been previously vandalized as well.
