A Toronto school community has responded with messages of love and support after a student-made Pride flag was destroyed in a fire being investigated by police as a possible hate crime.
The intersex-inclusive Pride flag, created by pupils at R.H. McGregor Elementary School in Toronto, was burned earlier this month after being displayed on a fence as part of Pride Month celebrations.
The flag had been made from strips of fabric tied together by students, with each child contributing a small part to the larger display. According to parent Jessica Thom, the project gave pupils a sense of ownership and pride, with many excitedly showing family members the section they had helped create.
However, parents were informed days later that the display had been destroyed in a fire. Toronto Police’s Hate Crime Unit is now investigating the incident.
Rather than allowing the vandalism to divide the community, pupils, parents and staff have come together to create a new display featuring rainbow flags, handmade signs, beadwork and messages of support.
Thom said the response reflects the values of both the school and the wider neighbourhood. “We really want to be reflective of the allyship of our school and our neighbourhood and our community in general,” she said.
The aim, she added, is to demonstrate that everyone is welcome at the school and that hate will be met with messages of inclusion and acceptance.
“We will continue to stand as strongly as we possibly can to respond to hate with love and with representations of inclusivity,” Thom said.
The community has also written an open letter to local and provincial elected representatives, calling for support and requesting the installation of a permanent rainbow crossing near the school. The proposed crossing would be located at the junction of Mortimer and Durant Avenues, an area regularly used by pupils and families.
School principal Denise Colby described the destruction of the display as “particularly disappointing”, noting that students had invested considerable time and care into the project.
In a letter to families and community members, she said the Pride display represented the school’s commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive and respectful environment.
“We are grateful for the support of our school community and are already making plans to replace the mural so that it can once again reflect the values of inclusion and belonging that are important to our school,” she said.
Toronto Fire Services attended the scene on the evening of 5 July after receiving reports of a fire. By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had largely been extinguished by a member of the public using water. Officials said the cause of the fire remains unknown.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also condemned the incident, describing the destruction of the Pride display as unacceptable. Her office said she had spoken with a representative from the school’s parent council and expressed support for the proposed rainbow crossing.
The mayor also welcomed the way the school community had united in support of LGBTQ+ students and families following the incident.
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