Disheartenment fell upon the Burien community as they woke to the sight of stolen and vandalized Pride flags for the third time in recent years. In a brazen act of targeted destruction, an individual was caught on camera around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, jumping and tearing down the symbols of LGBTQ+ pride in downtown Burien. The incident, captured on video provided by residents, displayed at least one person defacing and removing the flags in Burien Town Square. As reported by FOX 13 Seattle, an additional man appeared in the footage, seeming to recover the flags while expressing concern over being mistaken for the thief, stating, "I didn’t take it off. I didn’t take it off. They probably [expletive] think I’m stealing it. I didn’t steal it. I found it on the ground."
The recurrence of such incidents is not unfamiliar to the area. Similar events unfolded two years previously, and once again back in 2020, each time the Pride flags were stolen and the flagpoles damaged under the concealment of night. "It's a symbol, obviously they're trying to destroy the symbol of what it means to celebrate this month and it's just very, very wrong," as stated by KING 5. This cyclical violation has yet to break the spirit of the community, as each instance has been answered by a reaffirmation of their values and unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community.
In response to the latest affront, Debra George, executive director of Discover Burien, expressed her sorrow over the incident. "It’s just sad," she said, as per FOX 13 Seattle the malice evident in the damage. "Not only did they take them down, it looks like they took a knife to them, cutting them up." This shared sentiment of distress has become a catalyst for action within the community, galvanizing residents to come together in defiance of these repeated slights.
Indeed, Burien resident Leppa and others took it upon themselves to ensure the town's resilience was on full display. Bands of residents gathered to replace the missing flags with new ones, and among them was Leppa's husband, who worked to fix the poles that had been forcibly bent. "Love wins so we had to do, and shine our light even brighter right, to show people that we love and support them," Leppa told KING 5. With 15 new flags hoisted, the message to the perpetrators was clear: be better and do better. Officials have declared the new Pride flags will remain on display until the close of June for Pride Month, preempting the installation of American flags that will come thereafter in celebration of Independence Day.
