Members of the Williams Lake Pride Committee are remaining proud despite the disappointment their recently installed rainbow crosswalk has been subjected to burnouts leaving tread marks.
Williams Lake RCMP Inspector Jeff Pelley confirmed to MYCARIBOONOW that police received a complaint of the crosswalk being damaged and sustaining tire marks on July 31st.
He says a thorough investigation which still remains ongoing, resulted in the arrest of one youth offender who may have been responsible.
“We recommend that members of the public if they do see any vehicles deliberately defacing this crosswalk by spinning their tires or individuals defacing the property, that they certainly call the police immediately.”
Pelley adds that the investigator as well as Crown Counsel will be assessing to determine if charges are warranted.
“If the rainbow crosswalk is specifically targeted and that an individual is purposely defacing it, it could be perceived as an offence and we’ll assess under the Criminal Code if elements of mischief under $5,000 will be supported based on evidence in each incident.”
Williams Lake Pride Committee treasurer Brittany Clemmensen who is from Ottawa says she’s disappointed and notes that the idea of inclusivity, equality, and a rainbow crosswalk there is nothing out of the ordinary.
The crosswalk since its installation nearly two weeks ago has sustained noticeable tread marks that have been cleaned up by the Committee numerous times with a solution called houdini.
“Although we do have the funds to cover continued crosswalk maintenance right now we are actually going to see if we can get a donation either it be by Cleanway Supply itself or the from manufacturer of houdini itself because at this point we’ve already gone through two bottles of it and it’s just getting a little ridiculous.”
New president of the Committee Chasity blu-Wright said they hope the vandalism does not keep happening and it brings into the light what their cause is to try and bring awareness to what people have to go through everyday just because of who they identify of.
“Especially for children in this community,” said Clemmensen
“LGTB youth have some of the highest suicide rates for their group and it’s because they don’t feel accepted within the community as a whole and this crosswalk is designed to show you’re not alone, but then there are people coming and doing the burnouts.”
“While we can show you’re not alone because we’re out there cleaning it, these burnouts don’t send the right message to these kids and these kids could be your neighbor, they could be your family member, they could be anyone.”