SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The creators of the Scripps Ranch Pride Fence are unveiling a new addition to the neighborhood landmark, months after an alleged hate crime targeted one of its creators.
Stephen Gunter mounted a mural at the fence Monday morning, created by his fiancée and fence co-creator Brittany Fuller. The resin and glass mural features glow paint and depicts a heart surrounded by a rainbow of colors.
"I used pieces of glass to create the heart," Fuller said. "The river runs through the heart. Everyone needs to feel something through their heart, and that's where the love is.”
Gunter described the moment as a turning point.
"Feels like a new beginning," Gunter said.
The Pride Fence has been the target of more than 20 vandalism incidents since it went up. I first reported on the fence in 2022, after it was spray-painted and hit with paint. In the years that followed, pride flags were torn down, and the fence was hit with paint, eggs, feces and more.
The fence was also painted over during a home sale that has since been rescinded.
Then, in late January, minutes after another vandalism incident, Gunter was recording video when a car drove onto the sidewalk near the fence before backing up and driving forward again. Gunter jumped onto his fence to avoid being struck. The 29-year-old driver was booked on assault and hate crime charges.
"This shows we're going to keep going. There is beauty in pain. We're not stopping. We are here," Gunter said.
The mural is the first part of a larger transformation planned for the fence. In the coming months, wooden boards bearing messages created by community members will be mounted across the fence.
When asked what she sees in the new addition, Fuller had two words.
"Resiliency, hope," Fuller said. “This is for the community.”
"When you go through something hard, things change, and sometimes, the pieces come back a little different. Felt like we needed something different and a little more bold and personal," Fuller said.
An online fundraiser has been set up to help develop and maintain the Pride Fence.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
