Watch: US sports event under fire for using Pride flag as target

The organisers of an Oklahoma biathlon have come under fire after posting a picture of a rainbow flag being used as a target.

While promoting the Oklahoma Run ‘n Gun – an event which combines a running race and shooting – organisers posted a picture on their Facebook showing two men with rifles next to a rainbow target, KFOR News reports.

The post was accompanied by the caption: “New high visibility targets on the 500 yard range.”

The picture has now been removed following complaints that it was threatening to the gay community, while organisers claim it was “meant to be funny”.

Yeah, total lolz guys.

“People got really offended and really upset and people were really feeling threatened,” said Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director Troy Stevenson. “People took it as a threat, people felt very threatened”.

He added he contacted the event’s boss after seeing the picture.

“He assures us that it wasn’t meant as a threat.  It was a situation where I don’t think the people doing it understood social media or how bad their joke was,” said Stevenson.

“You could definitely tell by reading the comments that they were trying to make a joke out of this.  But once again, it was going way too far and offending a lot of people and it was very threatening language,” said Stevenson.

You can check out a full news report on the incident below:

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