- Just after midnight on Friday, pride flags outside a gay bar in New York City's Harlem neighborhood were set on fire, police say.
- Authorities are reportedly investigating the incident as a possible anti-gay bias crime.
- Rain extinguished the fire and no one was injured.
- In a statement, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was "disgusted" and directed the New York State police Hate Crimes Task Force to provide assistance to the NYPD in its investigation.
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Just after midnight on Friday, pride flags outside Alibi Lounge, a gay bar in New York's Harlem neighborhood, were set on fire, NBC New York.
The incident happened just a day before Pride Month celebrations were due to begin.
According to PIX 11, rain extinguished the fire and no one was injured. Photos of the damaged flags have been shared on social media.
The flags set ablaze were located outside of the bar's entrance.
According to its Instagram bio, Alibi Lounge purports to be the "only black-owned gay lounge" in New York City.ย NBC New York reported that police are investigating the incident as a possible anti-gay bias crime.
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In a statement on Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke out about the incident.ย
"I am disgusted by the burning of a Pride flag outside an LGBTQ bar in Harlem early yesterday morning," he said. "This was a despicable and cowardly act made worse by the fact that it happened on the eve of Pride month."ย
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LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated in June in the US to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprising.
Read more: How the rainbow became the symbol of LGBT pride
In Cuomo's statement, he wrote that he has asked New York State police Hate Crimes Task Force to provide assistance to the NYPD in its investigation.
"Rather than divide New Yorkers, this despicable act will only strengthen our commitment to tolerance, equality, and justice for every individual," Cuomo said.
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