Ingersoll Mayor Responds to Pride Flag Vandalism

Tuesday, 7 July 2026 05:52

Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie says removing a symbol of love and acceptance from an educational institution is unacceptable.

INGERSOLL - The Mayor of Ingersoll has released a statement in response to a recent case of Pride Flag vandalism in his hometown.

Police say four masked suspects cut down the flag pole at Laurie Hawkins Public School on Innes Street Saturday night and stole the Pride Flag that was flying. You can read more about that police investigation online here.

Mayor Brian Petrie says this was a targeted attack on inclusion, safety, and human dignity. He adds flags are symbols are identity, belonging, and pride, so forcefully removing a symbol of love and acceptance from an educational institution is unacceptable.

Mayor Petrie also says targeting a symbol of inclusion is an attempt to divide us, but it will only strengthen our resolve to stand together.

You can read his complete statement below;

"Today I am issuing a clear and unwavering message: we stand in firm solidarity with our 2SLGBTQIA+ community following a deeply concerning act of mischief and theft over the weekend.

On Saturday, July 4, around 9:55 p.m., a flagpole was deliberately cut down, and a Pride flag was stolen from a public school on Innes Street. This was not a simple act of property damage. It was a targeted attack on inclusion, safety, and human dignity.

Flags are symbols of identity, belonging, and pride. To forcefully remove a symbol of love and acceptance from an educational institution—a place where every child deserves to feel safe and valued—is entirely unacceptable. This destructive act does not reflect the heart, the values, or the people of Ingersoll. We are a community built on kindness, mutual respect, and diversity.

As Mayor, I want to be entirely clear: targeting a symbol of inclusion and pride is an attempt to divide us, but it will only strengthen our resolve to stand together. Our schools must be safe, welcoming environments where every single young person feels a sense of belonging. Hate, intolerance, and exclusion have absolutely no place in our town, and attempts to intimidate or marginalize members of our community will not be tolerated.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Oxford Detachment is actively investigating this incident, which involved four masked suspects. I urge anyone with information, dashcam footage, or home security video from the Innes Street area to contact the Oxford OPP immediately at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

We will not be deterred by acts of division. We will continue to build a community rooted in safety, respect, and mutual support, where everyone is free to be exactly who they are."