Police Investigating Burning Of LGBT Pride Flag In Tempe, Arizona

The Tempe, Arizona Police Department is investigating the burning of an LGBTQ Pride flag last week.

The flag hung with the U.S. and Arizona flags before it was taken down and burned. 

The Pride flag has since been replaced. 

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods issued a statement, ensuring members of the LGBTQ community that “threatening, bullying and intimidating” members of the community will not be tolerated. 

“We will continue our efforts to make our city stronger, even more welcoming, and even more inclusive,” he said. “We support our LGBTQ+ community. We stand with them.” 

In February, a bomb threat was reported to target an LGBTQ-friendly coffee shop. 

Arizona is one of the 19 states that have passed anti-LGBTQ+ bills in recent years.

The first bill to pass prohibits school personnel from referring to minor students by a pronoun that matches their biological sex without written permission. The second and third allow people to sue schools if they provide a safe space or share a restroom with LGBTQ+ students. The fourth prohibits the use of state money to fund drag shows that are made to be family-friendly.