Another Canadian Pride crosswalk has been vandalized, this time in Fort McMurray, Alta.
The $10,000 rainbow crosswalk was installed on July 23 at Hardin Street and Biggs Avenue, and it has since been defaced with tire marks.
Police are now investigating inappropriate comments made about the pedestrian crossing online,according to Wood Buffalo RCMP Cpl. Erika Laird.
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Unfortunately, this crossing is one of many colourful Pride pieces that has received a negative response. In June, black paint was splattered across a rainbow crosswalk in Lethbridge, Alta., a pride flag was cut down at a high school in Edmonton, Alta., and pride crosswalks in Saskatoon, Sask., and Whitehorse, Y.T., were damaged by tire marks.
Sithara Fernando, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, was angry after seeing the tire marks.
She had already posted a blog about the crosswalk after a friend’s photo received mixed reactions about its installation. Some people wanted to know why it was even necessary.
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“It reminds me that I am not walking by myself and when I do come to those crossroads, those difficult decisions, those uncomfortable places in life, instead of avoiding, pretending or finding another route, I cross that road and I remember that even if it’s not painted in pride colors that in the place that I call home, they do have a crosswalk for me,” she wrote.
These acts of vandalism don’t speak for whole communities. Faced with instances of negative feedback, we’ve also seen the good in people respond. In Lethbridge, for example, a group of people stood guard after Pride crosswalks were vandalized to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.
“It's definitely disappointing to see the burn-outs happen,” Coun. Tyran Ault, one of the people who worked on getting the Fort McMurray crosswalk, told CBC. “But that's not what Fort McMurray is about.”
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Ault said that people shouldn’t let the negative response of a few ruin the celebrations.
Fort McMurray’s Pride celebrations will take place in the city’s main square, Jubilee Plaza, on August 26. The event is open to everyone.