Pride billboard vandalism near Winkler evidence that inclusion message ‘clearly needed’

A Pride billboard along the short stretch of Highway 14 between Morden and Winkler was vandalized over the weekend, an act that the president of Pembina Valley Pride says only reinforces the need for its message in the region.

Pauline Emerson-Froebe said the sign was spray-painted overnight Saturday, just days before it was scheduled to come down.

The billboard, featuring the message “Pride Belongs in the Pembina Valley” beneath a rainbow on a black background, was partially covered with black spray paint in what Emerson-Froebe described as an apparent attempt to obscure the message.

“It keeps our determination going,” said Emerson-Froebe, adding that it wasn’t as if the sign was just tagged, but rather the vandals were trying to cover up the message.

“It just proves the statement even more. It reaffirms our message. When there is this sort of afterglow after (the Winkler Pride event) that we had, because it was successful and everything, and… people went up and did this, it’s a little disheartening, but we’re really focusing on the determination that, clearly, we struck a chord with somebody and they aren’t just ignoring us.”

The vandalism occurred a week after Winkler’s first Pride event, which drew hundreds of supporters, as well as protesters, to the heart of Manitoba’s Bible Belt.

“It was such a wonderful, heartwarming time of so much support, and so much love was being shown for each other, and showing people that you can stay in the Pembina Valley, you don’t have to go to large urban communities.”

Emerson-Froebe said the organization has received an outpouring of support since the damage was discovered.

“This isn’t how we want to see our T-shirt sales go up, but they have,” she said, noting the shirts feature the same message displayed on the billboard.

In response, the non-profit is now considering extending its billboard rental and replacing the sign, which Emerson-Froebe said is “clearly needed.”

“We’re having enough of an impact in the area that someone felt that they needed to respond,” she said.

RCMP are aware of the vandalism.

The billboard went up on May 29 and was scheduled to be taken down at the end of this week. A Pride billboard was displayed in the same place last year without incident.

Pride month events have been held previously in the region: Morden in 2023 and 2019; Altona in 2024 and 2022; and Carman in 2025.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca