Rally set at Geneva pride-painted fire hydrant – ‘pridrant’

GENEVA – Supporters of the LGBTQ community are planning a rally at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9 at the northwest corner of Kirk Road and State Street in Geneva where the pride-painted fire hydrant is located.

The hydrant has been defaced numerous times, but artist Chrissy Swanson has repeatedly repainted it.

“I would think the goal is to celebrate tolerance and pride and diversity,” Swanson said.

Several businesses are expected to be represented, she said.

Those expected to participate include Townhouse Books and Cafe and Mixology Salon and Spa in St. Charles and Limestone Coffee in Batavia.

The Uprising Bakery from Lake in the Hills is expected to be represented with a sign, Swanson said.

The bakery was vandalized after promoting a drag show.

“Bring pride signs and flags, take photos with the ‘pridrant,’” a promotion for the rally on social media states. “Show that we will not be swayed by vandals and and hatred.”

Fox Valley Pride has a button maker, Swanson said, and is making buttons for the event.

“It was too late to get shirts,” Swanson said.

The repeated defacing of the pride-painted hydrant resulted in one arrest last week of a man from Plainfield.

The pride-painted hydrant was part of the Art on Fire program in Geneva. Its repeated defacing – even after an arrest – prompted a condemnation from Mayor Kevin Burns at Monday’s City Council meeting.

“Silence in the face of bigoted and hateful assaults on others are acts of complicity,” Burns said.

“To the weak, broken and despicable person who committed this latest crime, be advised, you will be found. You will be arrested. You will be charged. And you will be prosecuted,” Burns said.

Burns also condemned a Nazi swastika spray painted on another hydrant over the weekend, which was not part of the Art on Fire program.