SANTEE, Calif. (KGTV) — An LGBT couple in Santee has had their pride flag display stolen for the third time in over three years, drawing both frustration and support from the community.
The latest incident occurred just past 8 p.m. Sunday outside their condo off Cuyamaca Street, where a thief, with a hidden face, was captured on camera taking their Pride flag.
The couple, Bri and her wife, have displayed Pride flags for the past six years as a symbol of their identity. Following the theft, Bri expressed feelings of anger and frustration.
"It’s hurtful, unnecessary," she said.
The family has faced similar thefts before. In 2021, a man on a bike was recorded damaging a flag mount and stealing a Pride flag.
Two years later, a group of young individuals was seen near two Pride flags, with one ultimately stolen and the other forcibly removed, leaving their planter smashed.
Bri questioned the motivations behind these acts of vandalism, stating, "This is hate. So many things in this world. Why choose ugliness? Why choose hate?"
In hopes of finding the perpetrator, Bri has expressed a desire for an apology and a promise that such acts will not be repeated. "I don't want them to get into trouble … even though it's hate, and consequences should follow, but I really just want peace," she said.
After sharing their experience on a local Santee Facebook page, Bri and her wife received offers of support from the community.
”People offered to give us a flag, contribute to flag fund," she noted.
While Bri stated they won't need another replacement flag, the community's support has provided a sense of hope.
"It gives me some hope… you feel a little less like you're being forced into the shadows," she added.
