Authorities investigate burned flags, signs left at downtown SLO businesses

In multiple videos, male suspect is wearing shorts, a dark t-shirt, with a noticeable full white beard

– On July 24, the San Luis Obispo Police Department investigated a series of suspicious incidents involving burned political signs and burned flags left at various locations downtown. An adult male was seen in surveillance footage affixing the burned items to doors or draping them across doorway thresholds. The burned signs were political yard signs, and the burned flags represented the LGBTQ+ community and the country of Ukraine. The signs and flags also had religious statements written on them.

The male did not light the items on fire at the businesses, so arson is not suspected. The police department had a similar report of items left at a business in June on the 900 block of Monterey. The surveillance footage captured during the June incident shows a male subject who appears to be the same person captured on surveillance on July 24. The police are investigating the matter as a hate crime and determining whether other criminal charges are applicable.

The suspect is not known to the San Luis Obispo Police Department. In both videos, the male is wearing shorts and a dark t-shirt with a noticeable full white beard. If you have information on the identity of the male pictured, please contact the on-duty watch commander at (805) 781-7312 and reference SLOPD case number 240724011.