A spray painting vandal tagged Metropolitan Community Church in San Diego Aug. 29 at night in four places, writing the words “fags,” “queers,” and X marks over two church banners.
The hate crime was reported to San Diego Police Saturday, Aug. 30 after the vandalism was discovered. An officer took photographs, and the graffiti was painted over before Sunday services.
The vandalism was announced midway through the sermon by Senior Pastor Dan Koeshall, who said, “I hope this person finds healing. They’re obviously in a lot of pain, living with all this hate.”
Attending the services Sunday was City Council President Todd Gloria who learned of the vandalism, and spoke briefly to the congregation.
“We’re here for you … no matter what an individual does, don’t take it personally,” said Gloria, who was the city’s acting mayor for five months.
On the front wall of the church, someone spray painted the phrase “Queers are bigots too.” On a back door, the word “fags” was spray painted. The two MCC banners had giant X marks through them and were ruined.
Al Smithson, longtime vice moderator on MCC’s board, said the estimated damage was $600.
“This is so 1970s,” said Smithson, of the vandalism. Koeshall repeated Smithson’s comment, saying “Come on people, this is 2014.”
Some members said the phrase “queers are bigots too” was curious, as if the vandal had a personal disagreement with the church. The vandal may have been tall because the graffiti was sprayed rather high.
This is the first time graffiti has been tagged in this building at 2633 Denver Street since MCC bought it in 2009. A 4×6 rainbow flag was ripped off the wall July 24 at night and has been replaced.
Koeshall’s sermon title was “Don’t take anything personally,” but he had announced the title two weeks earlier. Koeshall was able to tie in the vandalism within the topic coincidentally and urged church members not to take the tagging, or anything else, personally.
