'I took it personal': Police officer replaces pride flag ripped from Canton restaurant

CANTON, Mass. — The rainbow flag flies high at Neponset Cafe in Canton, or Big D's as most there know it.

But part owner Donna Titus is angry that someone ripped down the pride flag that hanging outsider her family owned business where she has worked for 46 years.

“I took it personal,” she told Boston 25 News. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't done towards me, but just the meaning of the flag.

Donna took pictures that show damage to the building. She says someone vandalized it as they went for the flag and took it.

“It took me long enough to come out and I've been out for quite a while now,” she explained. “This is my home and to destroy something that belongs to me. It's hateful. It's very hateful. They didn't touch the American flag, but they took the rainbow flag.”

But it's not just the vandalism.

A group of residents, including Christine Smith, led an effort this year to get more flags like these flying at businesses during gay pride month.

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To see this is upsetting.

“Personally, I was pretty saddened by it, because overall we had a positive reaction to the project,” Smith said.

But in a month when many are full of pride, the colors are once again flying high at Big D's; not because of Donna, but because of the police officer who replaced it.

“The support I've received from the people in Canton, it was incredible and I thank them all,” Donna said as she began to get choked up.

Police are investigating the vandalism and asking people to help. They're hoping someone nearby had surveillance cameras that may have captured whoever stole the flag.

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