Stolen LGBTQ Pride Flags Prompt Larger Conversation In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Three Laguna Beach business owners had their LGBTQ Pride Flags stolen in June, the Laguna Beach Independent reported.

Compass Laguna Beach, Laguna Nursery and Art of Fitness experienced the same theft on different days in June. All three businesses said it's difficult to accept that the act of stealing the rainbow-colored flag was motivated by homophobia, especially in a town that is a historic gay enclave, the report said.

Chris Tebbutt is a Compass agent and the founder of Laguna Beach LGBTQ Heritage & Culture Alliance. He noticed the real estate brokerage's pride flag was missing on June 8 and soon after replaced it with a Progress Pride Flag, which includes stripes to represent LGBTQ communities of color, according to the report.

“It’s more along the lines of being politically emboldened and in line with other things we’re seeing around the country that are anti-LGBTQ,” Tebbutt told the Laguna Beach Independent.

To read more about the community conversation surrounding the theft of several LGBTQ pride flags in Laguna Beach, view the full article on the Laguna Beach Independent.