Recent Arrest Highlights Persistent Trend Of Pride Flag Thefts Across Utah
LOGAN, UTAH – Police recently announced an arrest after pride flags sponsored by Project Rainbow Utah were stolen from Logan Pride, and the incident underscores a persistent trend of theft and vandalism one month before Project Rainbow’s next flag campaign.
Project Rainbow’s next campaign will be for Transgender Awareness Week and Trans Day of Remembrance, and those flags will be staked starting November 10 in advance of TDOR on November 20. Sign ups are currently open and end November 2.
Jacey Thornton, Project Rainbow Utah’s Executive Director, acknowledged that theft is a constant issue, but flags will be staked next month all the same.
“We are a volunteer-driven organization,” Thornton said. “Our community and many more allies will be in your neighborhoods staking flags and sending our message of belonging, fully knowing many of these flags will be stolen or vandalized. We are undeterred.”
Logan Police announced the arrest in this most recent case September 24 and said they are still looking for the public’s help identifying a second teen suspected in the theft.
Project Rainbow Utah empowers and uplifts LGBTQ+ individuals throughout Utah by fostering visibility, promoting inclusivity, and providing crucial support through our Community Fund. Our flag campaigns are a major part of funding that effort.
Unfortunately, these thefts are so common we typically plan for 15%, or about 900 flags, to be stolen in our annual budget each year. That estimate more than doubled in 2023 during our campaign for Pride Month, with 1,044 flags lost—most of them to theft or vandalism, though weather and mistaken addresses account for some.
Donors stepped up to cover that expense in our Love Wins Campaign for 2023. We are running a similar campaign for thefts in 2024. While we don’t have exact numbers for 2024 yet, our overall impression from our volunteers is that thefts are down compared to 2023.
Here are some quick data points:
Average number of annual flag sign ups (4-year period): 6,264
Flag sign ups over the years:
2021: 5,393
2022: 7,674
2023: 5,995
2024 to date (does not include Trans Awareness Week): 4,465
Estimated flag shrink for Pride 2023: 31% (primarily due to theft and vandalism)
Total cost for lost flags in 2023: $17,748
Total extra lost revenue due to increased thefts in 2023: $8,874
Total raised in our Love Wins Campaign for 2023 to offset the cost: $7,485
We are grateful to the Logan Police Department for taking action on this latest incident. Over the years we’ve noticed a marked “chilling” effect on flag loss every time a suspected thief is arrested, and we believe holding folks accountable deters others from engaging in these acts of vandalism—which are often classified as hate crimes.
We want to stress to our community, and those who consider vandalizing our property, that these flags will always be replaced.
“Every time someone steals or vandalizes a Project Rainbow flag, generous Utahns reach out to make things right,” Thornton said. “The loss of our property is disappointing, but negligible in the face of the real cost. Each theft tells the perpetrator’s neighbors: ‘You aren’t welcome here.’ With that in mind, we will continue to work toward a Utah where everyone belongs.”
Dorothy Wallis, President of Logan Pride Foundation Board of Directors, echoed the sentiment.
“These thefts are a blow, but they cannot slow our work,” Wallis said. “We will be here doing what we always do: advocating for our community and doing our best to make the message ‘You have a home here’ louder than any of the messages that might suggest otherwise.”
We hope the second suspect is identified and held to account. Project Rainbow Utah believes in restorative justice, growth, and coming together to find common ground. Our hope is that both of these young people are able to cultivate greater empathy and emerge with a better understanding of their neighbors: not a criminal record.
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