Police investigation after red paint used to deface Pride flags in Newham

Detectives are appealing for information after a number of Pride flags were vandalized by two men in north-east London.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were linking the homophobic attacks in Forest Gate, Newham.

Red paint was daubed on a large painted Pride flag on the pavement outside Forest Gate station in Woodgrange Road on Sunday morning.

Newham Council repainted it, but on Wednesday a further report was made into criminal damage to two other flags at the same location.

At this early stage of the investigation, no arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing.

LGBT campaigner Reece Jackson called the hate displayed during Pride Month “deeply concerning”, adding: “This council-backed initiative was a significant step towards inclusion and representation.

“The council promptly repainted the flags after the initial defacement, showing their continued support for our community.

“Unfortunately, the flags were defaced again in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with an eyewitness reporting seeing two men commit the deed.

“We believe it is crucial to bring this issue to the public’s attention to raise awareness of the ongoing hate crimes against the LGBTQIA+ community in Forest Gate.

“Our community is deeply hurt and angered by these actions and we are calling for greater support and vigilance to ensure that such hateful acts do not continue.”

Detective Inspector James Rush, from the North East Public Protection Unit, said: “We recognize that these incidents have caused considerable concern and upset in the local area and amongst the local LGBTQ+ community, particularly as it happened during the month Pride and only in a few days. before London Pride.

“We share this concern and anger and understand how intimidating this type of crime can be, which is why we remain committed to removing hate crime offenders and preventing further incidents.

“I would like to reassure the community that we take these offenses very seriously and are conducting a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice. This type of misconduct will not be tolerated.

“We are also aware of previous allegations of homophobic criminal damage at the same location, including in early March, and as part of our investigation we will explore whether this incident is also linked.”

He added: “I would urge anyone with information about who is responsible or saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area on Saturday night into Sunday morning or Tuesday night into Wednesday morning to get in touch. If you were driving in the area at the time and have dashcam footage, please contact us.”

Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or visiting, quoting reference 2433/23Jun, or the independent charity Those who stop crimes anonymously on 0800 555 111.