Photos Show Man Who Burned Pride Flags At Harlem Bar, Cops Say

HARLEM, NY — The NYPD has released a photo of the man accused of setting two LGBT pride flags on fire outside of a Harlem gay bar on the eve of Pride Month.

The suspect used a lighter to set two rainbow flags on fire outside of the Alibi Lounge shortly after midnight on Friday, police said. The fires were put out quickly and no injuries were reported, but the vandalism has prompted an NYPD hate crimes investigation, police said.

If the vandal attempted to scare Alibi Lounge's owners and clientele, they failed. Business owner Alexi Minko posted the message "To the homophobic coward, we will make our mission to find you!" on the bar's Instagram account just minutes after the fires were put out Friday. Since then, the bar has been sent new pride flags which are now displayed outside the building, according to the business' social media accounts.

The vandalism also earned a strong rebuke from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who directed the state police's hate crimes task force to assist in the NYPD investigation.

"I am disgusted by the burning of a Pride flag outside an LGBTQ bar in Harlem early yesterday morning. This was a despicable and cowardly act made worse by the fact that it happened on the eve of Pride month," Cuomo said in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).