"In New York we have zero tolerance for this despicable behavior," he added, "and will continue to live by the credo that the most powerful four-letter word is not hate-it's love. "This act of hate is repugnant to our values of equality and inclusion, and we will not stand by and allow these cowardly acts to continue in New York."
"I am appalled by the burning of yet another pride flag outside an LGBTQ bar in Harlem," the governor said in a statement. On Monday, an NYPD spokesperson told Gothamist the latest incident is not being investigated as a bias crime, although Cuomo once again called on the Hate Crimes Task force to aid in the investigation. That suspect remains at large, but with hate crime reports rising across the city, Governor Andrew Cuomo directed the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to help with the NYPD's investigation. Police subsequently released security camera footage in which a man, whose features are difficult to make out, can be seen flicking a lighter and holding it to the flags before walking away. The two rainbow flags flanking Alibi's entrance were "completely blazing," Minko said at the time. The first incident occurred on the eve of Pride Month: Someone ran into the bar screaming, "Fire!" around 12:30 a.m. "I simply cannot grasp that it happened again." Pix11 reports that police were not present outside the bar on Sunday night. "We have had the protection of the NYPD who had been sitting in front of our door regularly and tonight," Minko said. Speaking to CBS New York, Alibi owner Alexi Minko called the repeat offense "surreal." A blue vessel circled the family and shouted homophobic abuse, the passenger said. Yes, Martinez told the judge, he was indeed trying to make a statement about gay people when he ripped down AUCC’s rainbow-striped pride flag on June 11 and set it on fire in a nearby strip club. Staff members noticed the burning flag around 1 a.m. A family of four was targeted for flying Pride flags on their boat, one of the passengers told Insider. "Sad to report that few weeks after the first incident, someone has once again set our pride flags on fire!" the caption reads. Police are now seeking the person or people responsible, but have no suspects in the most recent incident.Ī photo of one of the burnt flags appeared on Alibi Lounge's Instagram account early Monday morning. Tasked by Harvey Milk, a historic figure in the fight for LGBTQ rights, to create a flag for the queer community, Baker created a rainbow flag with eight different colors. The pride flags outside a Harlem bar have now been set on fire twice within the span of about a month. Gilbert Pride Flag, the flag that started it all It was created in 1977 by Gilbert Baker, an artist, activist, and openly gay military veteran. No injuries were reported in either case, and no suspects have been named or arrests made.Sad to report that few weeks after the first incident, someone has once again set our pride flags on fire! We simply have no words! #Harlem #gaybar #pride #gaypride #nycpride #worldpride ?️??️??️????Ī post shared by Alibi Lounge on at 10:15pm PDT He told WPIX, though, that he doesn’t care what message they are trying to send, and that he thinks “what’s important is that we stand tall, we don’t get afraid.”Īdditionally, Minko said a staff member had to remove the Pride flag from the entrance on July 4 because people on the street “were intentionally setting off firecrackers” at the door. One has to wonder if there’s a kind of message they’re trying to send.” One was at the beginning of Pride and one was right at the end. “I have to say that what I find odd was the timing of both events. “Second time around, I’m really kind of in shock, I have to admit,” he said. They had been maintaining an increased presence around the establishment, but, according to WPIX, they were not there on Sunday night.Ĭameras are trained on the entrance, and police released surveillance footage from the first incident, which led Minko to think it wouldn’t happen again. Police are now investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, as they have also been doing with the previous arson case. For the second time in just over a month, a Pride flag in front of a New York City gay bar has been set on fire.Īlibi Lounge owner Alexi Minko told the Associated Press that late Sunday night, early Monday morning just after midnight, someone alerted staff the rainbow flag at the entrance of the Harlem club had been set aflame and reduced to ashes.