In a statement Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who also identifies as gay, stated “The tower served as a symbol of our strong support for the diversity within our ranks and the LGBTQ community who call Long Beach home.” He added, “To whoever committed this act, just please know that, one, you are not welcome in our community,” he said. “And two, that we will rebuild the lifeguard station, brighter, gayer, and bigger than it was before.”