PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — St. Petersburg police are investigating after a person was caught on camera using a flamethrower to torch a Pan-African flag flying on a pole outside the headquarters of a Black international socialist group based in Florida.
Authorities were called to the Uhuru house Saturday around 10:15 a.m. to investigate the incident which happed near the intersection of 13th Street South and 18th Avenue South, in St. Petersburg.
Security video released by the Uhuru Movement showed the driver of a white sedan park outside the group’s St. Petersburg headquarters before they pulled a flamethrower from the car’s trunk.
The person then lights the flame and shoots a tower of fire at the flag flying roughly 30 feet above the ground. The group told the Associated Press the driver stopped when a worker inside the building yelled at him.
Authorities said there was no damage to the surrounding area and there were no reported injuries.
Detectives said they are working to identify a suspect. Police did not immediately release additional information.
Anyone with information is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Dept. at (727) 893-7780 or text “SPPD” plus your tip to TIP411.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
