LGBTQ+ Pride Flags Stolen from Los Olivos Businesses

June 23, 2023, 3:46 am 10.2k Views 28 Comments

By the edhat staff

Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a string of pride flag thefts that occurred in Los Olivos this week.

Around 10:26 a.m. Thursday, June 22, deputies responded to the 2800 block of Grand Avenue for a report of the theft of a flag that had occurred in the preceding 18 hours. Deputies learned a pride flag had been stolen from a pole, also damaging the flag pole, in front of the business after closing time the prior day.

While they were investigating that initial report, deputies learned a neighboring business also had a pride flag stolen and a third business, around the corner on the 2400 block of Alamo Pintado had a state of Hawaii flag stolen. The thefts all seemed to occur after business hours on Wednesday, June 21 and prior to opening on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

After taking the initial reports, deputies attempted to collect physical evidence from the scenes and canvassed the area for additional victims as well as potential cameras that would have captured surveillance of the crimes to no avail.

Now the Sheriff’s Office is reaching out to notify the public of these thefts and to ask for the public’s assistance in identifying any suspects or involved parties. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Solvang Sheriff’s Substation at 805-686-5000. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can provide information by calling our tip line at (805)681-4171 or online at SBSheriff.org.

This is the second incident of pride flag thefts among a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ incidents that have taken place in the Santa Ynez Valley recently.

Last summer two men filmed themselves stealing and burning pride flags in Santa Ynez. Avi Stone Williams, 18, and Joshua Jerome Eligino, 19, were each charged with two misdemeanor counts of petty theft and one misdemeanor count of a violation of Civil Rights this past March.

In April, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School broke an agreement with an LGBTQ+ student organization after receiving complaints from community members, who do not have children attending the school, over temporary rainbow crosswalks as an anti-bullying and “No Hate” campaign.

That same month, the Solvang city council gained national attention for denying rainbow banners to be hung during Pride Month. Appointed Solvang councilmember Robert Clarke had been extremely vocal in his denial while stating discriminatory and misinformed statements about the LGBTQ+ community. Further investigation by The Independent revealed his emails to include more hateful anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. 

The City of Solvang received a letter from the Mayor of Copenhagen in Denmark urging the “Danish” community to truly embrace Danish values of inclusivity and equality. Eventually, the councilmembers voted 3-2 to allow a modified version of the pride banners for one week. 

“It is the policy of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to safeguard the rights of all people, irrespective of their disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are viewed very seriously and given high priority,” the Sheriff’s Office states.

RELATED ARTICLES

 April 25, 2023: Solvang Votes in Favor of Pride Banners as Councilmembers Email Depicts LGBTQ Discrimination

 April 21, 2023: Solvang Scolded by Copenhagen Mayor, Urges Support of LGBTQ+ Community

 April 1, 2023: Santa Ynez High Breaks Agreement with LGBTQ Students Due to Complaints

 March 23, 2023: Two Santa Ynez Valley Men Charged with Stealing and Burning Pride Flags

 August 1, 2022: Sheriff’s Deputies Investigated Thefts and Burning of Pride Flags

Edhat Staff

Written by Edhat Staff

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28 Comments

  1. What a bunch of triggered snowflakes. Poor Cletus got scurred the rainbow gone turned ’em gay. Then again, most ‘Muricans seem to have a special obsession with flags, flag poles, lack of flags, different flags, etc. It’s like animals with lower intelligence who have intense reactions to certain colors. Must be hard to live life so terrified of anything different. No wonder they need guns to “protect” themselves at the grocery store.

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  11. Incredulous Culture [ in-krej-uh-luhs kuhl-cher ]
    Definition of Incredulous Culture (1 of 1)
    A people who thrive on outrage and are constantly seeking a new target for their ire.
    The outrage that adherents of Incredulous Culture experience has an internally gratifying effect to participants that is consistent with behaviors of addiction.
    Origins of Incredulous Culture:
    The term Incredulous Culture originated as a result of the feigned outrage to cancel culture (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancel_culture).
    From the writings of J. Hargrave – 2021

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    • Just the first few paragraphs:
      https://www.independent.com/2023/06/08/somethings-happening-here/
      By Cynthia Carbone Ward
      Thu Jun 08, 2023 | 2:34pm
      “On May 30, 2023, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School community elected the most diverse Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) board in the history of the school. People lined up outside the library and in a Zoom waiting room for their turn to vote, while officials from the California PTA, including State President Carol Green, ensured that proceedings were conducted with fairness and integrity in accordance with state bylaws.
      Denise El Amin became the organization’s first African-American president, and Aria Vue-Daugherty the first student vice president. Two hardworking incumbents were re-elected, Secretary Mariela Medina, and Treasurer Gabby Flores. Ken Batson, running unopposed, was elected as Historian. The new board will be seated on July 1, 2023.
      Coming in the midst of tensions and incidents at the high school that have made their way into the local news, this is a notable and revealing outcome. A vociferous group, fearful of change, has been seeking to impose their personal values and beliefs on curriculum and culture, while many kids and parents have felt excluded and harassed. There was in fact a brief, inappropriate outburst when El Amin’s victory was announced, but those responsible were few in number and were asked to leave. One by one, the election results repudiated the ideology of fear and anger, reaffirming democracy and inclusion. By the end of the night, the prevailing mood was one of hope and celebration.”

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