Pride Lifeguard Tower Burns Down; Mayor Vows Brighter Rebuild

LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach's Pride Lifeguard Tower was gutted by a fire Tuesday in what Mayor Robert Garcia called an "act of hate."

"Early this morning, fire resources responded to the Pride Lifeguard Tower fully engulfed," the Long Beach Fire Department said in a statement on Twitter. "LGBTQ members of the Marine Safety Division painted the tower during Pride month last year. The tower served as a symbol of our strong support for the diversity within our ranks & community."

The tower will be replaced and repainted by lifeguards, the LBFD reported.

Garcia said the city's pride will overcome an act of hate.

"The fire is under investigation but I personally have little doubt this was an act of hate," Garcia said in a Twitter post. "To whoever committed this act, we will rebuild it better and brighter."

Community action was swift. Many people took to Twitter to offer support for an even brighter tower.

"I was so sad to hear our pride lifeguard tower was burned down. It's hard not to assume it was done in hate, but I know it will be rebuilt in love," Sarah Derrick tweeted.

"An iconic symbol of Pride in Long Beach, CA was torched at dawn this morning. It is being treated as a hate crime. I'm already inquiring with LB friends on how to help rebuild and repaint the symbolic lifeguard tower," Nicole Minet wrote.

Others acknowledged the pain caused by the fire.

"The fact that such a simple, public statement in support of queers — a rainbow-ed out lifeguard tower in Long Beach — was so offensive to someone that they burned it down makes me lose hope. I know this isn’t what LB represents but that doesn’t numb the pain & anxiety," wrote Brian Addison.