Dating back to 2023, “Pride” street murals in Florida and other states have been vandalized by people in cars and other motorized vehicles, so it is no surprise that these events have only ramped up during the month of June.
The latest incident? Huntington, West Virginia, where a motorist left tire marks on a rainbow mural that had been painted on the asphalt of a major intersection. And the guy who left them says he’s not sorry about it.
Patrick Salmons, 21, admitted in a comment to Eyewitness News that he was responsible.
"I was in the truck. Yeah, I did it,” he said. “My foot was on the gas and my foot was on the brake, but did I go out of my way to do it? No."
“I'll stand behind it for as long as I live," Salmons added. "I have no regrets."
Video from the incident shows a black truck, presumably driven by Salmons, smoking his tires on top of the rainbow crosswalk for several seconds before driving away.
3 days after being installed, tire marks were left on the pride crosswalk and pride mural that was painted in middle of the road in Huntington, WV.
— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) June 14, 2024
I’d say people are sick and tired of the propaganda.pic.twitter.com/8HR9yMHRzt
Related: PEAK STUPID: Teens Arrested For Leaving Scooter Marks on Spokane 'Pride' Mural
According to reports, Salmons was cited for violating Section 349.12 of the city code - “squealing tires."
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said Salmons’ alleged vandalism would be taken very seriously, calling it an attack on “beautiful things in the community.” If it were up to him, Williams said, “I'd like to take him over my knee and wear him out.”
Weird.
While wanting to protect your community is understandable, wishing you could inflict violence on someone is another matter entirely. But Williams is a Democrat, so he will likely face little backlash for his comments.
Breaking the law is not something anyone should promote or engage in, but the Mayor's response was perceived as very unprofessional. If he were a Republican, the outcome might have been different.
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