Church Ordered To Remove Rainbow Flag Ahead Of Australian Vote On Same-Sex Marriage

An LGBTQ-inclusive church in Adelaide, South Australia, was recently ordered by the local city council to remove its rainbow flag from the exterior of its building.

Church of the Trinity minister Sue Wickham wrote on her Facebook wall that she had received a call from the local council that someone had filed a complaint about the pride flag.

“Now we have to take it down and apply for Council approval,” Wickham wrote.

She added that the council most likely asked her to take the flag down because it’s attached to the building, which is “locally heritage listed.” According to Australia’s Office of Environment and Heritage government site, when a building is on the National Heritage List ― as the Adelaide church is ― it requires owners to get more approvals when altering the building in any way.

The rainbow flag was hung several weeks ago in anticipation of Australia’s vote on same-sex marriage, according to Australia’s Gay Star News.

The outcome of the vote is due Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.