The Houston branch of the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), a conservative LGBTQ+ group, has released a statement in support of removing the citys Pride crosswalks, something that other LGBTQ+ people were protesting as it happened a few weeks ago.We believe community initiatives should prioritize safety and fairness for everyone, said Danny Stevens, president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Houston. Removing or modifying the Pride crosswalks is not about erasing anyones identity its about ensuring public projects are inclusive, safe, and consistent in how taxpayer resources are used. That means no special treatment for any group, including our own. Related Protestors arrested in the middle of the night as Greg Abbott forces removal of rainbow crosswalks They called Pride crosswalks politically divisive artwork and said safety issues like lighting, standard markings, durable surfaces, and proper signage should be prioritized. The statement was in response to the removal of Pride-themed crosswalks in Houstons LGBTQ+ Montrose neighborhood. The move followed a directive from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to tear up rainbow crosswalksacross the state. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today LCR of Houston said it was donating $500 toward the creation of a permanent memorial for Alex Hill, who lost his life at 21 in a hit-and-run incident near that intersection and inspired the creation of the rainbow crosswalk.The group is an outlier in its response to the removal of the crosswalks, with many in the area expressing outrage. The neighborhoods LGBTQ+ community center, The Montrose Center, said they are heartbroken by the removal. Local officials also shared their frustration. It is incredibly disappointing that the state and federal government are focused on painting over a crosswalk instead of deeply addressing real issues, Harris County Commissioner Lesley Brionestold Houston Public Media. But the bottom line is they can erase paint on a crosswalk, but theyre never going to erase pride of Houstonians, of Harris County residents, of our LGBTQIA+ community.Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgoexpressed anger that the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) didnt fight the states order to remove the crosswalks. METRO could haverequested an exemptionfrom the states policy or taken legal action before removing art and a symbol that was so important to our community, Hidalgo said. METRO reports to a board of directors, but the board did not have input on this. The community deserves to know who made the final decision to remove the crosswalk, why the decision was not put up for a board vote and what other options we could have pursued instead of instant removal.State Sen. Molly Cook (D) noted in a statement that brightly colored crosswalks actually make intersections safer. Ripping them out continues a trend of anti-intellectualism from a transportation viewpoint at the state level, Cook said. The state is removing safety infrastructure away from our streets while traffic-related deaths continue to increase year by year. The removal of the Montrose rainbow crosswalks is disappointing, completely unnecessary, and a shameful waste of taxpayer money. Both state and federal officials have justified the removal of Pride intersections by arguing that street art is distracting to drivers. The data, however, supports the complete opposite.TheBloomberg Philanthropies 2022 Asphalt Art Safety Studyfound that crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists drop 50% at painted intersections. It also reported a 25% decrease in conflicts between drivers and pedestrians, a 27% increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians immediately, and a 38% decrease in pedestrians crossing when the walk signal was not lit at intersections with public art. The data also revealed that injuries resulting from crashes drop 37% in painted intersections. Abbotts directive does not specifically call out Pride-related art, but rather mandates the removal of any and all political ideologies from streets across the state. Rainbow crosswalks and Black Lives Matter messaging are the first targets, just as they were in Florida earlier this year. Non-standard surface markings, signage, and signals that do not directly support traffic control or safety are strictly prohibited, including the use of symbols, flags, or other markings conveying social, political, or ideological messages, said the governors office as part of the announcement.The move from Abbott comes afterTransportation Secretary Sean Duffysent a letter to all state governorsasking them to remove political messages and artwork from roadways, intersections, and crosswalks.Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks, Duffy later wrote on X. While Duffys request was made on July 1 with a 60-day deadline to identify needed safety improvements, most states appear to have ignored the order without consequence. Atlantapreviously made it clearthat it would be keeping its rainbow crosswalks, while Milwaukee responded to the order byunveiling a new rainbow crosswalk.Florida, though, did comply with Duffys request. Among other street art removed was the memorial rainbow crosswalk located at the site of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. AfterGov. Ron DeSantis had the memorial painted over during the night in August,local community activists came out to restore the mural with colored chalk. The state thenrepainted over the crosswalkbeforeinstalling police to ensure that the crosswalk would not be restored again.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.