MAYORAL STATEMENT: TOWN OF INGERSOLL STANDS STRONG IN UNITY AGAINST ACT OF VANDALISM AND THEFT

7/6/2026 8:07:00 PM

MAYORAL STATEMENT: TOWN OF INGERSOLL STANDS STRONG IN UNITY AGAINST ACT OF VANDALISM AND THEFT

INGERSOLL, ON (July 6, 2026) — Today I am issuing a clear and unwavering message: we stand in firm solidarity with our 2SLGBTQIA+ community following a deeply concerning act of mischief and theft over the weekend.

On Saturday, July 4, around 9:55 p.m., a flagpole was deliberately cut down, and a Pride flag was stolen from a public school on Innes Street. This was not a simple act of property damage. It was a targeted attack on inclusion, safety, and human dignity.

Flags are symbols of identity, belonging, and pride. To forcefully remove a symbol of love and acceptance from an educational institution—a place where every child deserves to feel safe and valued—is entirely unacceptable. This destructive act does not reflect the heart, the values, or the people of Ingersoll. We are a community built on kindness, mutual respect, and diversity.

As Mayor, I want to be entirely clear: targeting a symbol of inclusion and pride is an attempt to divide us, but it will only strengthen our resolve to stand together. Our schools must be safe, welcoming environments where every single young person feels a sense of belonging. Hate, intolerance, and exclusion have absolutely no place in our town, and attempts to intimidate or marginalize members of our community will not be tolerated.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Oxford Detachment is actively investigating this incident, which involved four masked suspects. I urge anyone with information, dashcam footage, or home security video from the Innes Street area to contact the Oxford OPP immediately at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

We will not be deterred by acts of division. We will continue to build a community rooted in safety, respect, and mutual support, where everyone is free to be exactly who they are.

Brian Petrie

Mayor, Town of Ingersoll