Vandals deface rainbow flag at high school
LGBT symbol in student parking space covered in tar
Staff writer
Overnight Wednesday, vandals defaced a Marion High School senior’s parking space painted with a rainbow flag that has become a source of controversy.
Marion Assistant Police Chief Clinton Jeffrey said the damage was discovered early this morning by officer Duane McCarty. Jeffrey said the act is criminal damage to property.
“The city would be the victim because it’s city property,” Jeffrey said.
With prior permission from school officials, senior Logan Waner painted a rainbow flag, a symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, on his assigned parking space on Lincoln St. east of the high school. Painting parking spaces has been a senior tradition at the school for many years.
Waner was told by school officials Tuesday to paint something over the flag, apparently in response to complaints by one or more community members.
That decision was reversed Wednesday, allowing Waner to keep the flag.
Jeffrey went to Waner’s house at 7:30 a.m. to tell him that the flag had been covered with a tar-like substance that appeared to be street crack sealer.
Waner and others used scrapers, power cleaner, and water spray to remove the black substance and restore the design.