ODENTON, Md. — When people pass by Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church, they see a banner of support for LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter, until Tuesday when their banners were vandalized.
“What you don’t expect and the part that’s really like, if you disagree, OK, we can disagree. If you like to have a conversation about it, we’d love to. If you’re not interested in having a conversation about it, don’t vandalize other people's stuff,“ said Ryan Stavley, a member of Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church.
Surveillance footage from the church shows three people running up to the sign. One person drew something on the sign while the other two people watched.
Their identities were hidden by hats and face coverings.
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“Two of the men came right up to this flag, covering it with some orange spray paint as a third person stood in the corner, recording the crime,” said Stavley.
Stavley is a member of the church and also installed the surveillance cameras. He said he is worried these small hate crimes will lead to bigger crimes if this pattern continues.
“It crosses a line, and there are other lines that have been crossed, and we see when we see the news stories you see what’s going on in the world around you, and yeah, it’s concerning,” said Stavley.
He is also proud of the message his church is promoting. Stavley wishes people would just respect the opinions of others, even if they disagree.
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“When you read the gospel, any time you find a separation of people where there are the into the in crowd and the others, where do you find Jesus? With the others, and so that’s where we try to go, and that’s other churches don’t believe that way, and that’s absolutely it’s great that they have fun communities that they have; their shared understanding is ours, and I kinda like it," said Stavley.
The church didn't take the flags down. Instead, members cleaned the flags, and they remain there on the post.
Members of the church are hoping not only to find the three people who committed this crime but also that this is the last time they have to deal with the vandalism.
Anyone with information concerning the vandalism can call Anne Arundel County Police at 410-222-6155.
