HOUSTON – Over the last week there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the rainbow crosswalk in Montrose at the intersection of Taft and Westheimer.
Removal confirmed for Monday morning
What we know:
Just a few hours ago, community members came out to see this construction equipment that they say was not there during the protest earlier.Â
There was also pride chalk on the sidewalk happening this evening, but those folks and others who came back from the protest this morning, and city councilmember, Abbie Kamin, learned the crosswalk will be removed on Monday morning, October 20.Â
“Does not reflect transparency”
What they’re saying:
“I think the theme here is no one is saying anything. What they wanted to do was do this very quietly in a way that does not reflect transparency whatsoever,” said Kamin.
“I was actually driving home with my son on a Sunday evening and got calls from residents who were at the corner of the intersection and noticed heavy equipment being moved to the location as well as HPD presence there. So, I got on the phone to reach out to METRO. Previously METRO committed to me, they would give us sufficient advanced notice of when the crosswalk was going to be removed. That did not happen. They did confirm once I called them that the crosswalk is going to be removed on Monday October 20th.”
On Sunday, Houston Safe Street advocacy groups, Friends of the Boulevard, A Tale of 2 Bridges and Walk and Roll Houston organized a protest against the removal of the crosswalk. Â
Local residents and others, along with city officials, were there as well. FOX 4’s Leslie Delasbour spoke with the councilwoman and concerned residents on the matter.
“My family and I know a lot of people in the LGBTQ+ and we have been in the community as allies for as long as… I don’t even know how many years at this point. To me, trying to wash away the crosswalk, trying to cover up all the pride that we have is the beginning of some very bad stuff,” said one local resident.
Community leaders vow to ‘Be seen and heard’
Local perspective:
Community leaders rallied together once they learned the news of the removal.
“I’ll be honest, it’s a little devastating for it to happen just a few hours after the event, but we are not going to let it deter us. This is not the end of a process, but the beginning of a process. That what we may lose in paint is not in loss. We are still going to be seen and heard,” said Kevin Strickland, the President of Walk and Roll Houston.
“They can take away our crosswalks, but we will just expand and grow to the sidewalks,” said Davis Darusman, Co-chair for Queens of Houston.
“And it seems like this is the last hoorah for the crosswalk, it seems the removal is imminent and so we are here to proudly display ourselves and our existence.”
Governor’s funding threat
The backstory:
Governor Greg Abbott said that he would withhold funding from cities with political murals or art on city streets. Last week, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and city council members commented on what the governor is threatening to do.
“I think we have to stay away from public property because it will jeopardize department’s funding, because they will come after it, the health department, criminal justice. You can do away with the stripes, but you are not going to do away with the issue or the people that are valuable citizens of Houston.”
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 26’s Leslie DelasBour.