Peterborough police are investigating a hate crime involving a man’s reported removal of a Pride flag and uttered slur at a church employee on Wednesday morning.
Peterborough Police Service say around 8:30 a.m. a man attended a display case located on the front lawn of a George Street church and allegedly removed the Pride flag.
Police did not identity the church.
However, Rev. Don Uhryniw of Emmanuel United Church told Global News Peterborough that the flag was removed from the cairn on the northwest corner of the church property at George and McDonnell streets.
When a church employee outside confronted the suspect, the man allegedly called the employee a derogatory name, threw the flag into the air and fled the area on foot.
The suspect is described as being in his early 20s, standing 5-foot-6 with black hair. He was clean-shaven and wearing a grey winter coat, jeans and winter boots.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.stopcrimehere.ca
“The Peterborough Police Service tracks both hate crimes as well as hate incidents, incidents that may not meet the criminal threshold for charges but could support stronger sentencing down the road,” police stated on Thursday.
“We encourage the public to report both hate crimes and hate incidents to us and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure our communities are safe places where everyone feels welcome.”
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