SPOKANE, Wash. – Just a day after they were reintroduced to Spokane, Lime Scooters were allegedly used to deface the downtown Pride mural.
Two minors and one adult were arrested for allegedly using the scooters to deface the mural Wednesday night. According to court documents, a 19-year-old used a Lime Scooter to leave tire marks on the mural and yelled “f–k you f—-t” at a passerby.
Last Thursday, a security camera system was placed directly above the mural after it was vandalized by arsonists.
According to the Spokane Police Department (SPD), surveillance footage from the intersection of Washington and Spokane Falls Boulevard was utilized to find the three suspects. It is unclear whether surveillance footage from the new security system was utilized.
The 19-year-old suspect is accused by SPD of malicious mischief with a hate crime bias and is currently in Spokane County Jail.
Vandalism of LGBTQ+ symbols in Spokane, which is a hate crime as of June 6, has become a chronic problem in Spokane over the past year. The downtown mural and Perry District Pride crosswalk have been vandalized multiple times over the past 12 months.
The arrests come just a day before Pride celebrations are set to begin in downtown Spokane. Both Spokane Pride and the police department have emphasized safety ahead of the festivities, with Assistant Spokane Police Chief Mike McNab sharing details on security arrangements to Spokane City Council on Monday.
