Thanks to a CHS reader for the pictures of the damage on 15th Ave E
Somebody is losing a cowardly fight picked over Capitol Hill’s rainbow bus stop and crosswalks.
The Seattle Department of Transportation and King County Metro said they were dispatching crews to assess damage and make as fast as possible repairs after vandalism targeting community crosswalks and a colorful bus stop in the area.
Officials said the damage was first reported Thursday.
“We strongly condemn acts of vandalism to Capitol Hill’s rainbow crosswalk and bus stop,” a spokesperson for SDOT told CHS. “These actions are unacceptable and undermine the values of inclusivity and respect that our community upholds.”
The vandalism was a quick and sloppy job with white paint spilled and splattered across the rainbow street markings and the Pride-colored bus stop on 15th Ave E near E Republican.
The rainbow Route 10 bus stop was installed on the street for Pride 2022.
Metro said it was aware of the wasteful act and helping to make sure the paint was removed and the bus stop repaired as soon as possible.
“We strive for King County to be a place where all are welcome and everyone can thrive, including our essential LGBTQIA+ community,” Ernest Kandilige, Deputy General Manager, King County Metro, said in a statement. “We’re disappointed and saddened by these recent hateful and misguided actions. King County Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation are united in supportive of inclusivity, and are working to diligently and urgently repair the damaged tiles.”
Inspired by the 2015 installation of the rainbows around Broadway and Pike/Pine to mark the neighborhood as a center in Seattle LGBTQ history and culture, Community Crosswalks can now be found across the city. The rainbow crosswalks receive regular touch-ups often getting a brightening around the annual June Pride celebrations.
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They got Broadway and e pine too.
Oh no! Any photos of that one?
I didn’t get a photo because I was biking through, but I saw it this morning too. Both sides of the street. I don’t get what’s wrong with people.
It’s dumb to have cross works as pride flags. Change my mind. Easily vandalized, high cost of maintenance, toxic paint into the drains.
How about some flags on poles?
Finally, a brave soul arises. This is possibly the most valid concern I’ve seen on any Seattle-area news publication. Surely, this genius insight of yours would help balance our budget. Has anyone tried running this past Joy?? Nothing else really going on in the city imo so we should buy more flags, and also and make sure to put them on poles. Change my mind too.
Feels good to take a stand sometimes!
I kind of agree. At first glance at this article all I could think is “how much money is going towards this thing, and couldn’t it be more well spent?”.
Hmmm…Shall we simply leave it? How about leaving ALL paint, including graffiti? Just abandon the city should be our balance the budget strategy.
okayyy
Not a bad idea. Shows the city’s true colors
No, just make it a regular old boring yet functional crosswalk that won’t be a target for vandalism.
How about no? I like these.
You would hummer guy
No thanks…We have “Arts District” flags.
Meaning, it’s taken. Also? I am not looking for a hill full of rainbows. Unless it’s a personal flag etc. Or the old fashioned kind.
I live on E pine and Broadway at the Walgreens. I live next to Pride Place. (LGBTQ+ affordable housing). The rainbow crosswalks are a nice addition. It IS the arts district. Art of any kind is welcome. Unless it’s mindless graffiti/gangs.
The Black Lives Matter mural on the street? What about that?
What about fighting back against the haters? There’s an abandoned building across the street. Boarded up. They paint that fence once a week or more at times and have for about 2+ years. We wash graffiti of buildings too. Save money by not doing that as well? How about parks maintenance? Just let em’ take over right?
My point is this. At what point do you fight instead of surrender. Are you telling me a little paint and elbow grease that’s VOLUNTEERS. That’s too much for you? I have to wonder why it’s so easy for you to surrender.
VERY well-said!
Thanks brother :O)
Imagine having beef with a bus stop. Straight people must be so bored
IKR?
Chasing windmills.
Thank you for that ;-)
You mean right wing straight people please don’t lump us all together
It’s like X.com clips meets Seattle. Personally I find this behavior to be anarchy rather than political unrest. But who am I to go saying the bubble is burst?
Right wing anarchy is the bad kind
Hate crimes. When you target the rainbow crosswalks and nothing else. It’s a hate crime.
Yep. They called it a “wasteful act.” Psh. Hate crime. It is a hate crime. That’s the term for it.
last time there was “anarchy” around there we ended up with the black lives matter mural. throwing paint on pride symbols is, as butch points out, an act of right wing political extremism.
The Ed Murray era thermoplastic crosswalks needed to be replaced anyway. We should copy Chicago and go full rainbow brick.
How about we pause this performative crap in the gayest part of the city and put the money into making the streets safer instead of rainbow-ier?
Why not both?
It wouldn’t be rainbow-ier if it is fixing vandalism on a rainbow that already existed….
Now if it were like a…”For every rainbow destroyed, we will create 2 more” then we would be rainbow-ier
Oh dooood!
GREAT idea.
I want to know why, in a known gay neighborhood, someone would even be bothered.