Vandals spray-painted anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti on a utility box outside Long Beach Pride’s headquarters on Saturday evening. The hateful messages included a swastika and the acronym “MAGA,” according to Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. The incident occurred at the corner of 10th Street and Obispo Avenue and is being investigated as a hate crime by the Long Beach Police Department.
Mayor Richardson condemned the act, stating, “This vile act of hate has absolutely no place in Long Beach.” He emphasized that the vandalism was an attack not only on a symbol but also on the LGBTQ+ community in the city. Long Beach Pride, a nonprofit organization that organizes the annual Pride festival and parade, expressed deep concern over the incident. Interim President Elsa Martinez remarked, “Acts of hate are not something we expect to see in our own front yard.”
In response to the vandalism, the city’s graffiti-removal team was dispatched to clean the site. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn pledged $2,500 to help Long Beach Pride enhance its security camera system. Hahn described the graffiti as “a clear threat aimed at terrorizing our LGBTQ community” and assured the community of her support.
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