Scripps Ranch Pride Fence vandalized again, but owner vows to meet hate ‘with love’

The Pride Fence in Scripps Ranch after a vulgarity and homophobic slur were washed off Photo by Gabrielle Wallace Times of San Diego The Pride Fence in Scripps Ranch was the target of yet another hate crime against the LGBTQ neighborhood On Tuesday the Pride Fence was painted with a homophobic slur that mentioned F the f This isn t the first time the fence has been marred with harsh words and vulgar symbols either The fence has been repainted a number of times due to vandalism but was initially painted in It is owned and maintained by Brittany Fuller who initially painted the fence to provide visibility for nonbinary students at nearby Thurgood Marshall Middle School Fuller desired to show the students they weren t alone but she also needed to show the group the hate the middle schoolers were experiencing at school I needed to make sure that if these kids yearned to show up and hate like do it here because the district requirements to know what s happening in our schools The district necessities to know Fuller reported She also founded the Scripps Ranch Pride Council in to promote a safe and supportive neighborhood in her childhood neighborhood She is no stranger to the hate the fence receives but that doesn t make dealing with the emotions of it any easier Despite the sense of numbness she feels she declared If the feeling is not the same as it was the first time it s definitely worse The vandalism doesn t come as much of a shock anymore but it s still upsetting and it s still very sad and hurtful she continued But with the hurtful messages comes visibility and attention to what s being mentioned Fuller declared she s never had more people stop to take photos of the fence or even knock on her front door to chat about it as she did on Tuesday Facebook groups for the neighborhood were also abuzz Fuller commented the slur was left up for longer this time around in part because she was waiting for the police but also so the group could see what occurred It s so sad to say but that s unfortunately what is necessary for people to recognize what is going on she commented San Diego Pride condemned the act of vandalism which was exposed just two days after the annual Pride events ended in Hillcrest and issued a report on Instagram bringing further attention to the Pride Fence View this post on Instagram A post shared by San Diego Pride sandiegopride This only strengthens our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive space for all As San Diegans we must unite against those who want to bully and silence us We will not disappear and we will not be intimidated part of the message read City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert who serves Scripps Ranch also distributed a report condemning the fence graffiti I am outraged and heartbroken by the hateful vandalism of a PRIDE display in my hometown of Scripps Ranch These acts are being fueled by a wave of division bigotry and hate across our country and they do not reflect the values of our broader society which are grounded in love and acceptance Wilpert wrote San Diego police were called to the fence on Tuesday and is at the moment inspecting the vandalism The San Diego Police Department Hate Crimes Unit takes this crime very seriously The Hate Crimes Unit is actively working the event We are canvassing the neighborhood reviewing surveillance footage and evaluating all other feasible investigative leads to hold those responsible accountable the department announced in a announcement While waiting for action Fuller isn t repainting like she has in the past After years of re-painting due to similar vandalism Fuller disclosed the fence is in need of a little more than a fresh coat She is raising money for a new fence that she will then paint again with the help of her friends and family Despite hateful messages Fuller keeps the fence going She mentioned she s able to stay strong because of the public s encouragement and largely because of her mom who was an ongoing ally throughout Fuller s childhood and on Fuller won t back down from a fight though she s not using physical force or harsh words to fight back She s spreading a message and showing patronage for the LGBTQ neighborhood via her colorful fence For me people are like Why is it such a loud declaration And I m like well when the hate is so loud you have to meet it with something just as loud right And so we re meeting it with love she stated