Botwood Pride crosswalk spray-painted with 'disturbing' message

Abby Cole · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 05, 2025 2:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

RCMP are investigating a lawsuit of mischief and harm to spot successful Botwood, N.L., aft idiosyncratic spray-painted a Pride crosswalk meant to observe the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

The crosswalk was spray-painted with the words "walk of sham," but RCMP believe it whitethorn person been intended to accidental "walk of shame." 

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jolene Garland said successful a connection that the vandalism occurred sometime betwixt the evening hours of July 2 and the greeting of July 3.

The connection described the connection arsenic "disturbing."

Grand Falls-Windsor Pride spokesperson Lexi MacDonald said the vandalism was not a "harmless prank." 

"It was a deliberate effort to shame radical simply for existing," MacDonald said successful a statement. "But the shame is not ours to carry. We are not going anywhere."

MacDonald urges those liable for the vandalism to bespeak connected what they did.

"The queer and trans assemblage successful Central Newfoundland is growing, healing, and lasting taller than ever, and nary spray overgarment successful the satellite tin screen that up," said MacDonald.

This isn't the archetypal lawsuit of vandalism perchance targeting the 2SLGBTQIA+ assemblage successful the area. 

Last month, a Grand Falls store model with a Pride emblem was changeable out. 

Community upset

Trudy Stuckless, with the Botwood Mural Arts Society, said she was shocked by the vandalism. 

Stuckless said she thinks it was targeted and that idiosyncratic was trying to nonstop a hateful connection to the 2SLGTBQ+ community. 

"For 15 years we've had murals that are astatine thoroughfare level," said Stuckless, "Never has determination been adjacent 1 of them defaced done the years."

Stuckless said different radical successful the assemblage are shocked and wounded by the vandalism. 

"With a past of having creation each astir town, ne'er being touched … everybody was rather amazed by it and saddened by it," she said.

RCMP are asking anyone with accusation astir the incidental to interaction them. 

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