'Appalling' video of students burning Pride flag taken from Huntsville, Ont. school under investigation
Ontario Provincial Police and the Trillium Lakes District School Board are investigating after a video was posted to social media of a group of teens removing a Progress Pride flag from a Huntsville, Ont. school and setting it on fire.
The school board said the incident that happened at Huntsville Public School was "hate-motivated vandalism."
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Trillium Lakes District School Board (TLDSB) called the six-second video an "appalling and hateful act."
The board went on to add, "This incident has caused harm in our community. An act of injustice against the two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual plus (2SLGBTQIA+) community is an act of injustice against us all."
The school said it recently reported another act of vandalism at the playground but said it isn't clear if the mischief is related, adding the flag is in the same vicinity as the playground, and both events involved fires.
Shawn Forth, with Muskoka Pride, reacted to the video stating, "We are deeply upset and shocked that a Progress Pride flag from a Huntsville elementary school was burned by some young individuals."
Meanwhile, provincial police said they believe the incident may have happened on Thursday last week.
The OPP said it had identified the students whose ages range between 14 and 16. Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
No charges have been laid at this point. However, the OPP said it would be up to the Crown Attorney to decide what consequences could follow.
The Progress Pride Flag was created in 2018. It adds a five-coloured chevron to the original Pride Flag to represent all racialized people and transgender identity to be more inclusive and progressive.
This is the first year schools with the TLDSB raised the Progress Pride flag in celebration of Pride month.
The board said the flag was immediately replaced.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.