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At 5 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, officers were dispatched to Waverly Place after six Pride flags were removed from light stanchions, with several damaged, Madison police said in a release. The flags are displayed every June in honor of Pride month.
Surveillance video from a nearby business showed Cormac McNamara removing the flags and throwing them in a trash can in front of Chase Bank on Waverly Place, police said. The flags were recovered by officers, secured at the Public Safety Building, and turned over to the Public Works Department for repairs and re-display, which occurred Monday morning, police said.
McNamara was taken into custody and charged with criminal mischief. He was released pending a court appearance, police said.
"Madison is a welcoming community, and the acts that occurred over the weekend were a prime example of what type of behavior will not be tolerated," Mayor Robert Conley said in a statement.
"Since 2019, we have been proudly displaying the Pride flags downtown to recognize all LGBTQIA+ residents whose influential and lasting contributions make Madison a vibrant community in which to live, work, and visit. I applaud and thank MPD and DPW for their swift response to this case and their quick work to reinstall the Pride flags."
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