By Rob Drinkwater/The Canadian Press

Third Pride flag to be raised in Taber after second flag burned

Jun 26, 2017 | 5:17 AM

UPDATE 9:30 a.m.: Taber chief of police Graham Abela released this statement Monday morning:

“This act of arson is a public safety concern, and is not taken lightly by the Taber Police. This type of activity in not in keeping with the values of the community and we denounce this crime.  We know exactly what occurred.  Community members committed this arson and it will take the community to solve it.  Anyone with information regarding this arson is asked to contact the Taber Police.”

The incident is being investigated as a case of arson and mischief.

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TABER — Organizers of Taber’s first Pride event say they’ll raise a third rainbow flag after the first was stolen and the one they replaced it with was burned.

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Jillian Demontigny of the Taber Equality Alliance says her group was notified Sunday, June 25 that a police officer noticed damage to the flag and scorch marks up the flagpole while driving past Confederation Park.

Demontigny says they’ve been told gasoline was used to light the pole on fire, partially melting the flag.

She says the group raised their original flag on June 12 when they held the town’s first Pride party in the park, and it was supposed to continue flying until the end of the month.

But she says that flag was stolen, so they raised another one in its place.

Demontigny says police have been helpful and will review surveillance video that may have captured the burning.

“They’re taking it very seriously. They’ve been very supportive and the town is ready for us to raise it a third time,” Demontigny said Sunday.

Earlier this month, vandals in nearby Lethbridge defaced a rainbow crosswalk that was put in place to mark the city’s Pride festival.

Police say manure and tar had been spread on the crosswalk.

Demontigny said the Taber Equality Alliance obtained permission in March from the town’s council to use the flagpole in the park after being denied use of the ones in front of the town hall. But she said even the vote by council to let them use the park flagpole was close.

She said the group marched in the town’s annual Cornfest parade last August without incident, and held its Pride party and flag-raising without disruption on June 12th.

The flag burning has saddened members, but has also given them purpose.

“We are feeling very bold and determined and trying to figure out how we can make our contribution to the Cornfest parade from our group even better this year than what we had originally planned,” Demontigny said.

The Taber Police Service couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.

Demontigny said the police now have possession of the burned flag.

Their third Pride flag will be raised Monday, June 26 at 5:30.