The owner of a New York City gay bar says a rainbow flag was set aflame at the club’s entrance for the second time in just over a month.
A New York City police spokesman says the early Monday morning incident at Alibi Lounge is being investigated as a possible hate crime. Owner Alexi Minko says his staff told him the flag was burned between 12:20 and 12:45 a.m.
Police were already investigating a possible anti-gay bias crime at the Harlem bar after rainbow flags at its entrance were set on fire May 31, a day before the start of the city’s Pride Month celebrations.
No one was injured in Monday’s flag-burning, and no suspects have been identified.
Alibi Lounge bills itself as the city’s only black-owned gay lounge.
