VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT: Mayor Issues Condemnation of Pride Flag Burning
On Monday evening at Rye City Council, Rye Mayor Josh Cohn condemned the burning of a Pride lawn flag last weekend. The hateful vandalism is under investigation by the Rye Police Department.
Here is a video and transcript of the Mayor’s remarks:
“On the night of August 14, someone set fire to a pRYEde lawn flag displayed on private property in the City of Rye.
This Council denounces this cowardly, destructive act against the LGBTQ+ community as an attack on the entire community that is Rye – a community that recognizes and values the diversity of its residents and, like our nation, finds its strength in that diversity.
On February 5th, this Council reaffirmed the City’s commitment to the City Council Resolution of May 3, 2017. Now, this Council once again reaffirms the City’s commitment to that resolution and restates for emphasis that:
The City of Rye is committed to upholding and protecting the civil and human rights of all individuals regardless of their race, creed, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or immigration status.
We, the City of Rye, denounce acts of racism, bigotry, xenophobia, religious discrimination, antisemitism and acts of discrimination based on a victim’s gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
On June 10, this Council recognized June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in Rye to affirm the principles of equality and inclusion embodied in Pride Month. On June 18th, this Council celebrated the pRYEde group and other community groups for the valuable work they do on behalf of the residents of Rye. Now, this Council once again recognizes our LGBTQ+ neighbors and friends, along with the pRYde group and school GSA groups and re-affirms the rights of LGBTQ+ residents to live in Rye free from bias.
This Council asks the Rye Police Department to continue to make every effort to bring the perpetrator of this act to justice and asks any person with knowledge of the events of the night of August 14 to contact the Rye Police Department.
In addition, we have heard of pRYde lawn flags being stolen and ask that any such thefts be reported to the Police Department, as well.”
