A Petaluma man was arrested after allegedly threatening to “execute” a school official if Pride flags weren’t removed from campuses. The suspect, Josh Garzoli, faces felony charges and is being held on $750,000 bail.

According to KRON4, police arrested 54-year-old Josh Garzoli of Petaluma on Thursday for making repeatedly escalating threats against a Petaluma school district official regarding the display of Pride flags on school campuses. The threats began on May 30 with a voicemail demanding the removal of the flags and warning of “harsh consequences” if the demands were not met.

Garzoli then appeared at the school district’s administration office on Monday in an agitated state, again demanding the flags’ removal but leaving without incident, according to Bay City News. On Thursday, he sent an email to a district official containing explicit threats, including stating that the official would be “executed” if the flags were not taken down by the end of the school day, as reported by the Chronicle. Police described the threat as “specific, time sensitive,” and causing serious safety concerns.

Petaluma Police arrested Garzoli without incident and booked him on felony charges of making criminal threats, with bail set at $750,000. “We are working closely with Petaluma City Schools to ensure additional security measures are in place and that district personnel feel supported and protected," the police department said in a statement. "The safety of our school staff, students, and broader community is our highest priority.”

Petaluma City Schools has flown Pride flags on campuses since 2022 following a unanimous school board resolution, and district officials reaffirmed their commitment to diversity after the threats.

Image: Benson Kua/Flickr