Pride flag stolen in West St. Paul sparks fundraising campaign

Couple want to buy Pride flags for others to fly in their neighborhood and surrounding communities.

June 6, 2023 at 8:50PM
A West St. Paul couple has raised more than $1,800 toward their $2,000 goal in order to buy Pride flags for their neighbors who want one, after their flag was stolen and its pole bent. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Rob Wedewer and his wife raised a Pride flag on their front porch in West St. Paul on a recent day as a nod to the LGBTQ+ community. But the flag was stolen and the pole was left bent.

The incident inspired the Wedewers to launch a GoFundMe page to raise money to buy Pride flags to fly in their neighborhood and surrounding communities. So far, they have raised more than $1,800 toward their $2,000 goal.

"We will not be deterred and the response needs to be [tenfold]," Wedewer wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Wedewer wrote that they will deliver the flags to anyone who requests one, and will even help install them if needed. Any remaining funds not used to buy flags will be donated to West St. Paul Pride through the Minnesota NOW foundation.

Wedewer could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

about the writer

about the writer

Faiza Mahamud

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Faiza Mahamud covers Minneapolis for the Star Tribune. She has previously covered education, immigrant communities, city government and neighborhoods. 

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