The annual Pride Holiday Parade and Festival gained state-wide significance again on Saturday when Charles Spignola, a preacher, and Thomas R. Meyer set fire to a gay-pride flag with a little help from a container of gasoline.

Spingola, 45 and Meyer, 47, both of Newark, were charged with open burning, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines according to the Columbus Division of Police. Spignola was arrested two years ago during the parade when he tore down the rainbow flag from the Ohio Statehouse, which was then burned by another man. A state appeals court upheld Spingola’s guilty verdict of criminal damaging on Tuesday.

Spingola originally burned one gay-pride flag outside Broad Street United Methodist Church, 501 E. Broad St., where a gay-oriented service had been held, according to Columbus Police Sgt. Michael Piccininni.

After Piccininni ordered Spingola to stop, he returned to the Broad and High Street intersection with another flag and a container of gasoline, where he proceeded to burn that flag as well.

Other protesters were less agressive, merely carrying signs and chanting religious verses.

One such protester, Ray Greignon, 17, of the United Bible Believers of Michigan, came to “help spread the word of God.” Greignon said he was doing his “reasonable service” so when he stands before God he knows he has done the best to serve God and spread his message.

Greignon also said gays should not be able to have a parade and exploit their sin because the law does not allow murderers and other sinners to hold parades.

The parade was sponsored by Stonewall Union Columbus to help increase awareness and education about homosexual lifestyles as well as raise money for the group, according to Jeff Redfield, executive director of Stonewall.

“Stonewall helps provide community services for homosexuals and organizes the parade each year to provide support to those who are having trouble ‘coming out’ to friends or family,” said Redfield.

The annual parade was started in 1981 as a protest to the formation of a Moral Majority group. The group was formed by Jerry Falwell, a Christian Evangelist, in order to protest gay lifestyles in Columbus. The parade has since grown to be the largest gay pride parade in the Midwest, according to Redfield.

Kimberly Schlosser also contributed to this story.