Police in West Vancouver, British Columbia, called a tire mark on a rainbow pride crosswalk a “gesture of hate,” City News reported.
What are the details?
The rainbow pride crosswalk at the intersection of 16th Street and Esquimalt Avenue was unveiled June 30:
A big Thank You to everyone who joined us today, for the official unveiling of our new #Pride crosswalk. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/18X4MgNn9v
— West Vancouver PD (@WestVanPolice) July 1, 2020
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But a week later — around 4 p.m. Tuesday — staff inside the West Vancouver Police station heard a loud, sustained squealing sound, City News said.
A tire mark was found on the crosswalk — and police had a theory as to who’s responsible for leaving it:
Investigators would like to speak with the driver responsible for defacing a recently installed Pride crosswalk at 16th St. and Esquimalt Ave. If you have information, please call 604-925-7300. https://t.co/ywkNR4DMAv pic.twitter.com/ViW0ZxcxYN
— West Vancouver PD (@WestVanPolice) July 8, 2020
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Surveillance video shows the same car from the latter tweet at the intersection and taking a right turn:
A week after it was installed, the Pride crosswalk outside @WestVanPolice's HQ at 16th/Esquimalt Ave. was damaged by the car seen below. No one has been arrested. The crosswalk hasn't been repaired yet. If you recognize the car below, tell police. pic.twitter.com/6NRnWoBpHa
— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) July 8, 2020
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Two people appeared to be in the vehicle, the outlet reported.
What did police have to say?
“This is very upsetting,” Cst. Kevin Goodmurphy said in a release, according to City News. “For whatever reason, this person has chosen to leave a gesture of hate on a crosswalk that stands for the exact opposite.”
And on Thursday, police tweeted that they’ve identified the driver they believe is responsible for leaving the tire mark and included a thank you to “those who have come forward with information.”
How are observers reacting?
Upon hearing the news that the cops got their man, so to speak, folks on Twitter mocked police without mercy:
- “Y’all are a joke,” one user said.
- “It’s ok everyone we’re safe now,” another person quipped.
- “It’s good to see tax payers money being used to find the skid mark bandits,” someone else said.
- “Do I need to be gay to use the crosswalk?” another commenter inquired.
- “How do you even take yourselves seriously?” yet another user queried.
- “If this is what you guys do, let me just say I’m getting on board with abolishing the police. If you guys are going to be useless, we don’t need you,” one user added.
- “If you look closely, there are hardly any skid marks on the white stripe,” one cheeky commenter noticed. “This driver must have been homophobic AND a white supremacist.”
(H/T: The Post Millennial)
Author: Dave Urbanski
Source: The Blaze: Cops say tire mark on rainbow pride crosswalk is ‘gesture of hate’ — and get mocked mercilessly after identifying driver they believe left it
