Palm Springs Pride Monument vandalized just a month before Pride celebrations begin

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - The Pride Monument at Frances Stevens Park in downtown Palm Springs has been vandalized.

Officials said the vandalism happened on September 15. The monument has smeared handprints and the word hard written in portions of the monument.

City Public Works personnel determined the markings caused no permanent damage and were able to clean and restore the monument, the Palm Springs Police Department told News Channel 3 on Monday.

Police said there are no identified suspects or persons of interest.

"PSPD recognizes the significance of the monument to our community and remains committed to addressing concerns involving public spaces and community landmarks," PSPD wrote in an email to News Channel 3.

The vandalism comes just about a month before Greater Palm Springs Pride kicks off. 2026 Pride runs from November 6–8 in downtown Palm Springs.

The eight-foot-tall Pride Monument, located near the corner of Alejo Road and Indian Canyon Drive, was officially unveiled less than a year ago. The stainless steel sculpture, created by Isermann, features three symbols of solidarity, including lamba, triangle and the rainbow.   

The monument measures 14 feet at its widest point, and includes 720 stainless steel modules painted in different colors that form a single structure.  

It will also feature a triangular design inspired by the pink triangle used during the Holocaust that was reclaimed as a symbol of gay liberation in the early 1970s.

Its color scheme is inspired by Gilbert Baker's 1978 rainbow flag design.