Pride Flag Burned at Elementary School Sparks Hate Crime Investigation

The Los Angeles Police Department has launched a hate crime investigation after an LGBTQ+ flag was burned at a California elementary school ahead of a Pride Month assembly.

The burned rainbow flag, which was placed in a plant pot outside a classroom at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood, California, was discovered by school staff on the morning of May 22.

"The investigation is ongoing. It is a vandalism hate crime. The hate crime is still significant but it is a misdemeanor," LAPD's Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Hamilton said that it is not clear when the flag was burned and there are currently no suspects in the case.

This incident comes amid a string of boycotts of brands that support the LGBTQ+ community, including Bud Light, which partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, and Target, which critics falsely accused of marketing a "tucking-friendly" swimsuit to children amongst its Pride Month merchandise (the swimsuit was for adults, not children).

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