Watsonville Police Department is investigating the incident, WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. “It is especially disturbing, because students love that flag, and several students came to El Patio specifically to take their photo with the flag.” “This is deeply upsetting and we take this matter very seriously, as the second act of vandalism and hate to occur on Cabrillo’s campus within the past two weeks,” he says. “This is my community, this is my district and this is one of the only places in the world that I feel safe.”Īccording to Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein, a student worker found the charred flag next to Building A on Saturday morning. “We see you, we hear you, we are here to protect you,” she said.
Watsonville City Councilwoman Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, whose 2nd District covers the college, said the impromptu gathering sends a message to the county’s LGBTQ+ community. The flying of the new, larger flag came as a show of defiance for the vandalism, which destroyed the one that had been flying over the El Patio outdoor seating area. WATSONVILLE-A large group of people gathered in front of Cabrillo College’s Watsonville Campus Monday to watch as a new Pride flag was raised, two days after someone burned the rainbow flag that previously flew there.
