TL;DR
- Florida man stormed a Starbucks demanding a Pride flag be swapped for a US flag
- Threw tea on the flag, ripped it down, dumped it in the trash
- Arrested and charged with criminal mischief, held for six hours
- Incident adds to rising anti-LGBTQ vandalism across the US
- Comes amid Florida’s ongoing anti-LGBTQ political climate
Florida Man Tears Down Pride Flag in Starbucks Tantrum
A Florida man decided to serve up some piping hot homophobia with his morning brew when he stormed into a Starbucks in St. Petersburg, ranted about a Pride flag being “offensive,” and demanded an American flag be put up instead. Because nothing screams patriotism like vandalizing a coffee shop, right?
Cops cuffed 31-year-old Tucker Alden Kemp after he unleashed his inner “Don’t Tread On Me” energy on the café wall décor. According to the arrest affidavit, Kemp took one look at the Pride flag, declared it un-American, and insisted staff replace it with the Stars and Stripes. When the manager politely explained that — shocking — Starbucks actually supports its queer customers and employees, Kemp escalated faster than a gay on Grindr after midnight.
Kemp reportedly threw tea at the flag, yanked it off the wall, and tossed it straight in the trash — because when bigots throw tantrums, they always go for drama over logic. Damages came to at least $210, which is still cheaper than a week of Starbucks breakfasts, but here we are. Police charged him with criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, and held him for six hours before he was released on a $500 bond.
Florida’s Queer Community Deserves Better
As usual, Florida seems to be auditioning for the role of “Most Homophobic State in America,” and honey, they’re nailing the casting. The state has become a ground zero for anti-LGBTQ hostility — not just in legislation, but on the streets. FBI data shows over 160 anti-LGBTQ vandalism incidents across the country in the past year, making it the most common form of queer-targeted hate crime.
And yes, dropping the Pride flag in a trash can isn’t just a stunt — it’s part of a much bigger, uglier pattern.
Republican lawmakers and state agencies have been fanning the flames. Florida officials recently scrubbed rainbow crosswalks across multiple cities, including a memorial crosswalk honoring the victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre. In response, queer residents grabbed chalk and reclaimed it — because when Florida paints over Pride, the queer community paints it back louder.
Activist and Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf slammed the state’s erasure efforts as “cowardly,” adding, “A memorial to my dead brothers isn’t political. But your cowardly, dead-of-night erasure of it sure is.” The message? Our history will not be erased quietly.
Incidents like this aren’t about flags — they’re about visibility and safety. Pride flags in public spaces tell LGBTQ people, especially teens and those living in hostile environments, “You belong here.” When people rip them down, the message becomes the opposite: be invisible, or else.
A Starbucks with a rainbow flag might seem small, but for someone in the closet or a queer kid walking in for a Frappuccino, it’s a lifeline. Removing that symbol — violently — is a form of intimidation meant to push the LGBTQ community back into silence.
Florida’s queer community continues to show resilience, but they shouldn’t have to fight for the right to exist over a cup of coffee.