Pride flag flies at Surrey City Hall for 4th year<\/p>\n
Published 1:45 pm Friday, June 19, 2026<\/p>\n
The vibes were high outside Surrey City Hall Friday (June 19) morning as the mayor and members of the community raised the progress Pride flag on the city flagpole.<\/p>\n
Two dozen community members from various local 2SLGBTQIA+ groups, including Surrey Pride, Sher Vancouver and Surrey Rainbow Project, gathered outside city hall for the event. Mayor Brenda Locke, Coun. Pardeep Kooner and Senator Baltej Dhillon also attended.<\/p>\n
Surrey Pride president Donald Crowe, who performs as Myria Le Noir, said seeing the Pride flag raised for the fourth consecutive year means a lot, especially in light of recent events.<\/p>\n
Just a few weeks before the rainbow crosswalk, less than 400 metres from City Hall, was vandalized with black spray paint<\/a>. One individual has since been arrested, and charges have been forwarded to the Crown.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of what just happened at the crosswalk, it\u2019s really important that we have a show of unity and solidarity around this flag, because we won\u2019t be stifled, we\u2019re not going away, and we stand here proud, because love is love, and believe me, you\u2019ll never get rid of us,\u201d Crowe said.<\/p>\n Sher Vancouver president Annie Ohana agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cSo after a rough couple of weeks, where once again we saw \u2026 a hate crime be committed like steps away from here, this means everything, right, to have a city that has our back,\u201d Ohana said. \u201cWe can be loud, and we belong. We belong in Surrey. We belong everywhere. So it\u2019s really meaningful to have this happen today.\u201d<\/p>\n Mayor Locke said, \u201cSurrey is a city where everybody matters.\u201d She thanked many of those in attendance for their work to ensure \u201cSurrey is an inclusive city for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Seeing the flag on the city flagpole is especially important for younger people, Crowe added. \u201cIt shows that there is space for them, and we\u2019re looking at a community that is being harassed right now because of SOGI stuff, and they need to know that we have their backs and that they belong.\u201d<\/p>\n The city flew the flag after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida in 2016, said former Surrey Pride president Martin Rooney in a previous interview, after a unanimous council vote to show \u201csolidarity, sympathy and support for the LGBTQ community.\u201d<\/p>\n The city also issued a proclamation declaring June 2026 \u201c2SLGBTQ+(Rainbow Community) Pride Month in the City of Surrey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe City of Surrey is actively involved in embracing its true diversity raises the Pride Flag on city property in recognition and acknowledgment of the struggles of the Rainbow Community over the past decades; There is no room in our city for homophobia, trans phobia, drag phopia or any kind of hate towards marginalized peoples, Indigenous peoples, people of colour and other minorities,\u201d reads the proclamation.<\/p>\n On Saturday (June 20) Surrey Pride is hosting its 27th annual Surrey Pride Festival from noon to 7 pm. at Central City plaza.<\/p>\n Admission is free at the family-friendly event, which includes vendors, speeches, dance and good vibes on the plaza outside Surrey City Hall. The schedule and other festival details are posted on surreypride.ca\/surrey-pride-festival-2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n About the Author: Anna Burns<\/a><\/p>\n I cover breaking news, health care, court, Vancouver Rise FC, Vancouver Goldeneyes and social issues-related topics for the Surrey Now-Leader.\u00a0anna.burns@surreynowleader.com<\/a>\u00a0Follow Anna on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n