More than 400 transgender pride flags placed on Boston Common as part of a Transgender Day of Remembrance installation were pulled from the ground and removed overnight, prompting local advocates to call for a hate crime investigation.
The display, organized by the Queer Neighborhood Council, featured 425 small flags planted with a city permit. The installation was designed to honor every known transgender and gender-expansive person lost to fatal violence since 2020. Organizers discovered on Tuesday morning that the memorial had been completely removed.
According to reporting from CBS News Boston, an organizer received a tip by email that multiple people had been seen uprooting the flags and discarding them. By the time volunteers reached the site, none of the flags remained. The council said the memorial had been installed correctly and legally.
In a public statement, the organization said the removal should be investigated as a hate crime. Representatives explained that the memorial was intended as a solemn reminder of the lives lost to anti-transgender violence and that its disappearance caused significant distress to the community. The Queer Neighborhood Council said the act targeted both transgender people and the purpose of the memorial, which was created to promote visibility and remembrance.
Boston police said they currently have no record of a formal report connected to the incident. The council said it had attempted to reach law enforcement and city officials, but as of Thursday afternoon, spokespeople for the mayor, the governor, the attorney general, and the police department had not provided comment. The lack of response has increased frustration among local advocates who say the disappearance of the memorial should be taken seriously.
Jack Imbergamo, executive director of the Queer Neighborhood Council, told Boston.com that the installation is important because it creates space for the public to acknowledge the harm and violence transgender people face. He described the removal as heartbreaking and said community members have expressed anger and sadness about the incident.
Transgender Day of Remembrance, observed annually on November 20, commemorates transgender people who have lost their lives to violence. The week leading up to the day includes events throughout Boston aimed at raising awareness and honoring those affected. Advocates say the timing of the removal adds to the impact of the incident.
The council has announced plans to reinstall the flags next year on the Common. Organizers said they will continue to push for accountability and for recognition of the removal as a targeted act. Despite the setback, they intend to maintain the memorial as a yearly tradition.
Community leaders in Boston say the incident reflects the ongoing challenges facing the transgender community, even in a city often seen as welcoming and progressive. The council said the disappearance of the memorial underscores the need for visible support and for local officials to respond when acts that impact marginalized groups occur.
The investigation remains open, and the council is urging anyone with information to come forward.
