Pride Flag Hung Outside Middlesex County Town Hall Torn Down

SAYREVILLE, NJ — A pride flag hung outside the Sayreville town hall was ripped down Wednesday.

The flag was torn down from the flag pole, according to Anthony Sposato, a Sayreville resident who got permission from the town to fly the flag. In a public Facebook post, Sposato said the flag had only been up for 12 hours when someone ripped it down.

Sposato said he filed a police report and that security cameras at Sayreville borough hall are currently being reviewed. He also shared photos of the vandalized flag in his Facebook post.

"12 hours later. The Pride Flag has been pulled down and is on the ground at Borough Hall," said Sposato. "12 hours. A police report has been filed, and cameras at Borough Hall are being checked to see who is responsible. My gratitude to the responding officer from Sayreville PD for the kindness and empathy."

Sayreville borough administrator Glenn Skarzynski confirmed this happened.

"The flag was torn down from the community flag pole. It happened sometime between 7 p.m and 11 p.m. Wednesday night," he said.

He said a new pride flag, provided by Sposato, is back up as of Thursday afternoon.

Sayreville has an ordinance that states the only flags that can be flown in front of borough hall are the American flag, the New Jersey flag and a POW/MIA flag. However, members of the public can submit an application to have other flags flown for two weeks on the community flagpole, which Sposato did, said Skarzynski.

"Flags for special-interest groups can be flown on our community flag pole, as long as they fill out an application, which was done," he said. "We are grateful to Anthony for providing us with a replacement flag."

Sposato was previously a candidate for the Sayreville Board of Education.

"When people ask why we need Pride Month, why coming out matters, why LGBTQ+ people feel unsafe and unwelcome in places, think of this moment, in our borough. In your backyard," said Sposato in his Facebook post. "When our elected leaders are asking people to protest the Pride Flag flying at Borough Hall, this is what happens. People listen. Pride is the celebration of the struggle, and that fight continues. It’s not about one flag, or one person, or one family. It’s about supporting each other when things get hard, and showing up for each other. That work continues, and I call on Mayor O’Brien and Council President Donna Roberts to denounce this."

Mayor Kennedy O'Brian told Tap Into Thursday this was "likely the crime of an individual or small group and it certainly does not represent Sayreville. This is an open, diverse, welcoming community. We have zero-tolerance for this type of nuisance."