COLUMBUS — Nearly a dozen pride flags were stolen from an Ohio neighborhood and overnight on Sunday.
Residents in the German Village section of Columbus are looking for answers after several people woke up Sunday morning to find their Pride flags stolen, NBC 4 reported.
The thefts were caught on several home security cameras. Norman Hall shared security footage with ABC 6 News that showed a group of young people tearing his pride flag down.
“I came down and found the flagpole had been ripped down and thrown in the street, and the flag was torn off and taken,” Hall told ABC 6 News. “A lot of emotions -- angry, but also hurt, scared... There’s just so much hatred out there right now.”
Several residents in the neighborhood said they place a Pride flag outside of their homes as a way to celebrate Pride Month and support their LGBTQ+ neighbors, NBC 4 reported.
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However, now they said showing pride and support is more important after what they called a calculated act.
“It’s such a beautiful neighborhood, but even more than the beauty and all the brick, it’s the neighbors,” Hall told NBC 4.
Down the street, Anthony Meyer and Tyler Mason had their flag stolen as well, according to ABC 6 News.
“It kind of made me uncomfortable,” Mason told ABC 6 News. “It’s unfortunate, but hopefully positive things will come out of it.”
The neighborhood is choosing to remain positive about the situation, and plan to replace the stolen flags.
An owner of a local flag business reached out after learning about the thefts on social media and offered to replace the stolen flags, ABC 6 News reported.
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Harrison Watson with The Flag Lady said he immediately grabbed their supply of Pride Flags and handed them out to everyone they could who got theirs stolen.
Watson said the store plans to order more and provide them at a discounted rate if people want them replaced immediately.
They also plan to create a page to help fundraise and replace as many pride flags as they can, ABC 6 News reported.
“It’s just not the heart of Columbus to do these types of things,” Watson said.
Several homeowners in the area filed police reports, hoping that a collective response would encourage Columbus Police to pursue the case, according to NBC 4.
The Columbus Division of Police said the incidents are being investigated and have not released any further information.