The flag restored above The Crescent — “Hey homophobes! Less than 24 hours got that Pride flag up again lol! Yasss!!!” (Image: The Crescent)
The Pride flag is again flying above E Olive Way’s The Crescent after vandals targeted the dive bar’s queer banner over the weekend in what appears to be one of a handful of similar attacks across the city.
“Three cowardly men decided to shred our flag from in front of the Crescent!,” the bar posted Sunday morning after the vandalism. “If you think our freedoms and equality are not being challenged and threatened daily, think again!”
By Sunday night, a new flag was proudly flying again.
Security video posted from the bar shows a group of three males walk by the tavern in the early hours of June 16th and then stop with two of the suspects forming a base to boost the other up to reach the flag.
White Center gay bar The Lumber Yard also posted about a similar attack Sunday morning. 16th Ave SW’s The Swallow was also reportedly targeted.
A Seattle Police spokesperson said he was not aware of the reports but encouraged anybody with information to contact police.
The incidents follow increased presence and concerns about right-wing protesters who appear to be targeting Capitol Hill and other areas in the city during Pride month with small marches and gatherings including a group spotted earlier in June demonstrating on E Olive Way. Trans Pride Seattle organizers the Gender Justice League have released a statement addressing concerns about the protesters as they work to bring together the June 28th event. “The best response to any anti-trans elements involved in this is to come together anyway, march, be proud, and show them that we are not going to go away,” they write.
The Crescent, meanwhile, carries on after 70 years of nightlife on Capitol Hill. Last fall, CHS wrote about new ownership at the bar as brothers Joe Martin, Steve Smith, and David Munden stepped forward to run the bar their father helped create decades ago on E Olive Way. The change in ownership has faced a bittersweet start. Earlier this month, the bar announced that Martin passed away. He was 62.
$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE THIS SPRING
🌈🐣🌼🌷🌱🌳🌾🍀🍃🦔🐇🐝🐑🌞🌻
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.
Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 👍
As if great Karaoke wasn’t a good enough reason to patronize this gem of Seattle past. Thanks Crescent!
Something tells me these three young men need more sex in their lives
Not just bars. I live up the street, and I believe my neighbors had several pride flags ripped from their porch that night too. This is so upsetting.
https://twitter.com/Magapatriot311/status/1139258802643992576
Hi, I’m that neighbor. These are the guys who tore all my trans pride flags down the night the Crescent was vandalized. PROUD BOYS.
Why does this article refuse to mention that they were self proclaimed Proud Boys? That’s an important detail. We need it known that this group is being violent and destroying property.
Tell me what you know — 206-399-5959
Hey, I want to throw the proud boys under the bus, literally, just as much as the next person. But there doesn’t appear to be any evidence it was them. I saw them Friday and Saturday night on Cap Hill and these guys don’t look like them. If you do have something more conclusive you should report it to the police and make them pay for what they did. It can be considered a hate crime.
https://twitter.com/Magapatriot311/status/1139258802643992576
These are the guys who tore all my trans pride flags down the night the Crescent was vandalized. PROUD BOYS.
My friend donated the flag to The Crescent to be flown. Very proud of our community.