Overland Park police investigating potential hate crime after church banner is vandalized

OVERLAND PARK, Ks. (KCTV) - Overland Park police are investigating a vandalized church banner as a potential hate crime. The rainbow banner that read “All are Welcome”, located on the lawn of the Indian Heights United Methodist Church, was torn down over the weekend.

“I think my stomach just dropped, to pull up and see it was actually gone,” said Pastor Ali Haynes, who made the discovery when she got to church Sunday morning. “We have a long history of it being vandalized or stolen, so I immediately knew that’s what had happened.”

She says another banner with the same message was vandalized last month, which prompted them to put up security cameras.

“I think it really speaks to the polarization and division going on in our country right now,” said Haynes. “The church is supposed to be a place of inclusion and welcome for all, so to see that, it’s just really disheartening that somebody would attack a church in that way.”

John Wagner has been a church member for over 6 years with his family. He says the sign isn’t meant to be controversial.

“It’s about being inclusive and inviting people,” said Wagner. “The sign is the opposite of what division is. It’s to welcome everybody in.”

He says while groups have come to the church to protest the sign over the years, more people have thanked the church for the message. To him, the sign is a reminder of Jesus’ teaching to “love thy neighbor”.

“Maybe since we keep putting it up, we’re being stubbornly inclusive, but it’s not about trying to upset anybody or cause division,” said Wagner. “It’s simply to let people know we are still being inclusive. Love is going to bring us together. We can’t fight hate with hate. You can only fight hate with love and try to include as many people as possible.”

Haynes says they will be putting up another sign with the same message.

“We’ll continue to spread the word of love because that’s who we are and that’s who we are called to be as people who follow in the way of Christ,” said Haynes.