Woburn Common Pride Flag Torn Down, Replacement Stolen
WOBURN (CBS) - Woburn Police are looking into a pair of incidents involving the Pride flag over the weekend. One flag was torn down and the replacement was stolen, according to the LGBTQ community.
Gretchen Pollard-Ramos says she was heartbroken driving through Woburn common Saturday to find the Pride flag in the grass instead of flying high.
"I saw that the rope was all over the bushes. It looked frayed and that's what I thought it was at first," she told WBZ-TV.
But after a closer look, she said that just wasn't the case.
Woburn Police are now investigating this as possible vandalism.
"I saw a cut in a part of the rope. That's when I knew it was clearly taken down purposefully," Pollard-Ramos said.
It's a disheartening discovery during a month meant to celebrate the LGBTQ community.
"I feel it's saying that in the city of Woburn, LGBTQ people are not welcome," Pollard-Ramos said.
"I think it's a clear message of hate," said resident Rina Mazor.
"I am a queer woman who is engaged to a trans woman. My eight-year-old son is also trans and these issues are so important."
So about a dozen people returned to the common Saturday, taping rainbow streamers, uplifting signs and planting smaller Pride flags to show they won't be silenced.
But that changed Sunday.
"It seems that some of the stuff has been taken down already, which is hurtful and upsetting," Mazor said.
At the end of the day, Pollard-Ramos says the flag is merely a symbol.
"Fortunately we won't be scared and we will still be proud. Taking down the flag doesn't mean we still don't have our pride," she said.
The group plans to re-hoist the rainbow flag soon.
