Thieves steal Pride flags from Jyväskylä city and campuses

Several Pride flags have been stolen in Jyväskylä this week, Yle reports. Four flags belonging to the city were taken from the flagpoles outside Jyväskylä City Hall, at the corner of Kirkkopuisto, during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The University of Jyväskylä, its student union and the student union of Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences also said earlier this week that Pride flags had been stolen from their campus areas.

In addition to stealing the flags, the vandals cut the ropes on the city’s flagpoles, said Emmi Hyvönen, the city’s director of communications.

Because of the vandalism, the city will fly rainbow flags only during Saturday’s Pride parade. The original plan was to keep them flying until Sunday.

Hyvönen condemned the vandalism and said the city would file a police report.

“I consider this a very regrettable phenomenon. This is not the right way to act. The right way is to discuss these issues,” she said.

Jyväskylä Pride Week began on Monday and will culminate in a parade on Saturday. The parade will leave Kirkkopuisto at midday and continue through the city centre to Lounaispuisto, where a park celebration will be held.

This is the first year that the city of Jyväskylä is taking part in the parade.