Rainbow crosswalk defaced

Photo: Contributed

A City of Vernon worker erases the word 'Queer' that someone spray painted on the city's rainbow crosswalk.

City crews were on hand Friday afternoon at Vernon's downtown rainbow crosswalk after someone defaced the multi-coloured symbol of inclusion and tolerance.

It is not known exactly when someone spray painted the word 'Queer' on the cross walk, but by 2 p.m., the offensive act of vandalism had been erased.

Several people expressed their disappointment in the act of intolerance.

“This is Canada! We should be fighting against hate and for inclusiveness more then ever now because of what is happening in the States. Let's try to be better people than some of our neighbours, Okay?” said one post on social media.

Another post asked, “What are we teaching our children?”

The crosswalk was installed on 30 Avenue, between 33rd and 34th streets, last May.

Coldstream has also installed a similar crosswalk at Kal Beach.

“Rainbow crosswalks have become a simple, economical, physical way for Canadian cities to express support for diverse, inclusive communities,” Dustyn Baulkham, president of the Okanagan Pride Society, said when the crosswalk was installed.