Puerto Rican flags stolen ahead of Buffalo parade
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Organizers of the 23rd Annual Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade are looking for answers after all of the Puerto Rican flags displayed along Niagara Street were stolen.
Parade president Charles Torres said a total of 11 flags were torn down from light posts. He emphasized that the flags are more than just decorations -- they are powerful symbols of cultural pride.
“It was disheartening to see that someone would do that,” Torres said.
The Hispanic heritage flags were placed along Niagara Street last week in preparation for a flag-raising ceremony in Niagara Square. According to Torres, by Saturday only the Puerto Rican flags had disappeared from their posts -- an act he believes was intentional.
“All of the flags that we placed from Porter Avenue all the way to Niagara Square were missing,” Torres said. “They are more than 50 feet high. You're not going to come with a car and just reach and take it. They're set there with a thumbscrew. So somebody had to be here with a truck and ladder or something to be able to reach there.”
The stolen flags, valued at around $220, will be replaced ahead of parade day, Torres said.
“It's more about the symbol that it represents. That's priceless. It's about our pride, our culture,” he said.
Buffalo Police have been alerted to the theft and are working with parade organizers to file a report. Investigators are reviewing street camera footage as part of their investigation.
“People have called or have posted, ‘Hey, I have a 3-by-5 flag. Would you like it?’ And it's very touching,” Torres said.
Rodney Hutchings, a Hispanic business owner who runs Best Budz on Niagara Street, submitted his store’s security footage to police and is calling for accountability.
“We're counting down to this parade. It's a very big part of Buffalo,” Hutchings said. “Let’s all work to get together in the community and let’s get these flags back up where they belong.”
Hutchings is offering a cash reward for the return of the flags to his shop or for information that leads to those responsible.
Torres said he does not want to speculate on the thief’s motives but said the message to the Hispanic community is clear.
“It's not going to hamper or dampen our spirits on Saturday,” Torres said. “You will see our community come together and march and hold their heads up -- and their flags up -- high.”
The Buffalo Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact their confidential tip line at 716-847-2255. The 23rd Annual Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade will proceed as scheduled this Saturday.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.