Texas man puts up LGBT pride flag as Orlando tribute -- and vandals target him within a day

A 20-year-old Texas man's show of solidarity with the victims of the Orlando mass shooting attack was met with vandalism and theft within 24 hours, KHOU-TV reported.

The harassment started when Scout Register put up an LGBTQ rainbow pride flag on his front lawn, only for it to be stolen.

"I went up and bought another pole and stuck it right back out there," he recalled. "You can take my flag, but you're not going to take my pride."

That second flag, he said, was also taken by a group "yelling gay slurs and other profanities," who returned it hours later -- after they burned it and painted a Nazi swastika on it.

"That put some fear in my heart for my son," said his mother, Beth Register.

However, Scout Register said the vandals' efforts to demoralize him only backfired.

"This just makes me want to put out as many flags as I can," he told KHOU. "You're not going to stop me."

Watch KHOU's report, as aired on Monday, below.

<em>[h/t <a href="https://www.towleroad.com/2016/06/texas-mans-memorial/" target="_blank">Towleroad</a>]</em>