Pride flag ripped from Winnipeg home, left torn and burned on front step

The Winnipeg police major crimes unit is investigating after a Pride flag, affixed to the entrance of a Transcona home since September, was ripped down, torn up and burned.

The owner of the house believes the incident is hate-motivated.

"I feel that it's a hate crime because it's a Pride flag," said Sherri Pelletier, who has lived in the Transcona house for the last two years. "I'm sad that this kind of thing happens in Winnipeg."

Pelletier attached the rainbow flag to the railing by her home's front door after a rally in support of trans youth in late September.

"When I came back from that, I thought, 'I'm going to hang it up,'" said Pelletier. "I just feel it's important to show support."

Pelletier said she hasn't encountered any negative feedback for displaying the pride flag – until Wednesday.

On the morning of Jan. 31, Pelletier said she found the flag torn and burned on her front porch.

"I don't think someone tried to set it on fire. I think someone was burning holes in it," said Pelletier, who also noted the flag was secured to the railing by grommets.

"So obviously they pulled it off. And, you know, it takes a lot of strength to do that."

Ashley Smith, the director of advocacy at the Rainbow Resource Centre, said this situation shows some people still wish harm on the queer community.

"These acts of violence are meant to send a message to the (queer) community that we are not welcome or unsafe," Smith told CTV News.

"We are here and existence is resistance to this sort of aggression."

Pelletier said she believes the incident occurred overnight and has filed a report with police.

The Winnipeg Police Service confirmed its major crimes unit has received the report and is investigating. Police said they have not received any other reports of flags being vandalized in the area.

Regardless of the results of a police investigation, Pelletier isn't letting the incident silence her support for the queer community.

"It's going to go back up," she said

"I think more than ever now, it feels important to make sure of that so whoever chose to do this doesn't, let's say 'win' by me not putting another flag out there."

-with files from CTV's Danton Unger