A swastika was spray-painted on the back of Temecula United Methodist Church, and the church's Pride and American flags were stolen in the initial incident, while replacement Pride flags were stolen several times, in a string of incidents that began the night after the church hosted a gathering with the Temecula Valley Pride Center. Pastor Drew Davis said he kept replacing the stolen Pride flags, only to watch them disappear again within days.
A Pattern That Started the Night After a Pride Gathering
The church hosted a second gathering with the Temecula Valley Pride Center on its campus on Oct. 17, according to the Press-Enterprise. The very next evening, both the all-inclusive Pride flag and the American flag flying above the church at 42690 Margarita Road were stolen, with the lock on the flagpole pried open. Davis then raised another Pride flag, which was stolen a few days later, so he raised yet another one — which was also quickly taken, per the same report.
A separate account from Channel 3000 confirms that after Davis installed two more Pride flags in place of the stolen ones, they too were taken. Then, on Oct. 26, Davis learned that someone had spray-painted a swastika on the back of the church building, the Press-Enterprise reports.
Church Plans to Turn Hate Symbol Into Mural of Peace
By the time of the Press-Enterprise's Nov. 4 report, the swastika had already been painted over. But church officials aren't done with that wall. Pastor Drew Davis told CBS News Los Angeles, “We want to grow a painting around that imagery to have it dissolve into a mural of peace.”
The congregation is also moving forward with a planned ceremony on Nov. 19, reading names aloud in observance of Transgender Remembrance Day, according to the same CBS News Los Angeles report.
Investigation Ongoing, No Arrests Yet
CBS News Los Angeles reported that the Riverside County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the reported theft and vandalism incidents. As of the Press-Enterprise's Nov. 4 report, no arrests had been made and the investigation remained ongoing, according to the department. NBC Los Angeles has also been covering the case.
The evidence gathered so far does not establish who stole the flags or painted the swastika, or whether the same person was behind each incident.
A Broader Pattern Across California
Temecula isn't the only California congregation dealing with repeated attacks on LGBTQ-affirming displays. The First Congregational Church of Fresno experienced a second act of vandalism this summer directed at its rainbow-colored door installation, according to the Advocate. In that case, the Fresno Police Department told the outlet KMPH that the incident was not being investigated as a hate crime; the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said the Temecula case is not a hate crime.
