Rainbow Door Display Vandalized Again Outside Fresno's Big Red Church

Early Sunday morning, a rainbow-painted sign proclaiming “God’s Doors Are Open To All” was found knocked over and vandalized outside the Big Red Church in Fresno’s Tower District. Pastor Simon Biasell received a call at 6:06 a.m. from a staff member alerting him to the damage, which greeted worshippers arriving for Sunday service. While the congregation was inside, local residents restored the doors, reinstalling them before the service concluded.

The incident follows a previous vandalism earlier this summer and reflects ongoing hostility the church has endured, including homophobic messages left on voicemail and social media. The church, an open and affirming United Church of Christ congregation for over three decades, said the attack would not deter its commitment to inclusion. The rainbow doors were originally created as a Pride Month project in early 2023 with help from children, teens and adults in the community.