Flag burned for inclusion

UPDATE: 4:45 p.m.

Considered an act of hate by university officials, the burning of the rainbow Pride flag was actually a statement in support of inclusion, says the woman charged.

Brooklyn Fink was charged in connection with the incident during UBC’s OUTWeek, which she does not deny.

The woman spoke to reporters outside Richmond court Tuesday morning.

She told CTV Vancouver she is a media artist who is hoping to have the mischief charge of $5,000 thrown out.

"I intended on burning the flag only to illustrate my displeasure at the university's failure to come to an agreement about the flag's offensiveness,” said Fink. “It’s just really tragic that we’re still fighting with identity politics.”

Fink said she believes the flag represents an LGBTQ movement that has become too politicized and that the UBC crest that’s normally atop the flagpole is more inclusive.

“We took (the UBC) flag down and put up a false flag that was just invented by someone from San Francisco,” said Fink.

“What are we going to do, surrender the flag 52 times a year? Who's next? Is it going to be pro-life campus? Do they get to fly a flag?”

During Tuesday’s court proceedings Fink’s request to throw out the case was denied. She was also suspended by UBC but Fink hopes the issue will eventually be dismissed.

“After my non-academic misconduct hearing, we will see if we can summarily dismiss this as a professional issue among a student and the school,” Fink said.

She also come out in disagreement with what the Pride flag stands for, and wants the ‘T’ in LGBTQ to stand for transvestite, not transgendered.

She will be back in court on May 17.

– with files from CTV Vancouver

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ORIGINAL

A charge of mischief under $5,000 has been laid following the burning of a rainbow Pride flag at the University of British Columbia.

Court documents show Brooklyn Marie Fink was charged last Monday in connection with the Feb. 6 incident at the Point Grey campus.

Fink is slated to appear in provincial court in Richmond on Tuesday.

The flag burning sparked outrage in February, during the university's annual OUTweek celebrating gender and sexual diversity.

University officials condemned the vandalism as an act of hate violating the school's deeply held values of equality, inclusion and respect.

Concern for participants' safety prompted OUTweek organizers to cancel a march just days after the burning, but other events went ahead as planned and no further violence occurred.