BOSTON — The Polish American Citizens Club in Dorchester says their American flag was ripped off and stolen right off their flagpole.
Boston police are now investigating and the club says it was all caught on one of their cameras. The flagpoles are right outside the Polish Club in the Polish Triangle area of Dorchester. On the surveillance video, you see it all happen just after 4 p.m. Saturday.
The President of the Polish American Citizens Club, Stasia Kacprzak, says she found the damage Sunday morning.
“So this all damaged so everything has to be replaced,” said Kacprzak.
After calling Boston police, she and some of the other members started going through the club’s surveillance video and they found the incident all caught on camera.
In the video you see the person walk up, pull the flagpole down to the ground and then rip the American flag off.
“It was unbelievable, I mean how can someone tear a flag off like that is beyond belief, beyond belief,” said Kacprzak.
The person can then be seen walking off with the flag.
“I teared up because this means so much to so many people and I don’t know why someone would have such a hatred to do something like that. It’s unacceptable,” said Kacprzak.
Walter Chichocki helps take care of the park and says he was devastated.
“The flag stands for freedom all flags stand for whatever they stand for. The American flag, it stands for freedom,” said Chichocki.
The Polish Club says the flagpole will cost hundreds to replace but the nonprofit was already dealing with financial challenges. The club uses an upstairs hall to raise a lot of the money for its budget. But first, Covid shut it down and then the spring storms caused this roof damage. The club says it is not going to let whoever is in this video stop them from serving their neighborhood.
“We are going to try to put everything back together but it should not have happened, not to this little community,” said Kacprzak.
The club is working with Boston police to try to identify the person seen on camera.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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