Paris responds to homophobic graffiti by making 'rainbow crossings' permanent
Rainbow pedestrian crossings painted on roads in the Marais district of Paris for Saturday's Gay Pride march will become a permanent feature, the city's mayor has decided after one of them was tagged with homophobic graffiti.
Several pedestrian crossings had been decorated the rainbow colours of the LGBT movement in preparation for the annual Gay Pride march that will take place in Paris on Saturday.
But some people obviously took offense to the move and one of the crossings had been painted over with homophobic insults daubed on the road.
The words "LGBT out of France" were painted on the road at the crossing at the junction of Rue des Archives and Rue de la Verrerie in the heart of the Marais, which is a neighbourhood full of bars of restaurants that has long been popular with the city's gay community and visitors.
Les passages piétons arc-en-ciel du Marais vandalisés cette nuit ??#homophobie #marais #paris Help @Anne_Hidalgo @BrunoJulliard pic.twitter.com/yTUqAgYcmE
— Les Coqs Festifs (@lescoqsfestifs) June 26, 2018
#franceinfo "Après les tags homophobes, la mairie de Paris annonce que les passages arcs-en-ciel peints pour la Marche des fiertés seront permanents" #LGBT #Homophobie #Paris #Marais ... Réaction à l'intolérance ! ... https://t.co/B3QGAOqhIv
— Gaby Wald (@gaby_wald) June 28, 2018
"Today I am making a symbolic decision: we will make the rainbow pedestrian crossings that we installed in the Marais permanent," said Hidalgo adding that it would send a "positive signal "and would be a " welcome message" for visitors to the neighborhood.
She later tweeted out the message: "Paris is a city of refuge that embraces the Republican values of freedom, equality and fraternity. In order for these values to be recorded forever, the rainbow pedestrian walkways created for Gay Pride will be permanent!"
#Paris est une ville refuge qui fait sienne les valeurs républicaines de liberté, d’égalité et de fraternité. Pour qu’elles s’inscrivent à jamais en ses murs, les passages piétons arc-en-ciel créés pour la #MarcheFesFiertés seront permanents ! #ParisEstFière #LGBT ?️?♥️ pic.twitter.com/do6lJoTZWm
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) June 27, 2018
Hidalgo also announced that two more pedestrian crossings will be adorned with the rainbow colours.
The Gay Pride march will begin at Place de la Concorde at 2pm before heading along Rue de Rivoli past the Louvre and then on to Place de la Republique where the party will continue into the evening.
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Several pedestrian crossings had been decorated the rainbow colours of the LGBT movement in preparation for the annual Gay Pride march that will take place in Paris on Saturday.
But some people obviously took offense to the move and one of the crossings had been painted over with homophobic insults daubed on the road.
The words "LGBT out of France" were painted on the road at the crossing at the junction of Rue des Archives and Rue de la Verrerie in the heart of the Marais, which is a neighbourhood full of bars of restaurants that has long been popular with the city's gay community and visitors.
Les passages piétons arc-en-ciel du Marais vandalisés cette nuit ??#homophobie #marais #paris Help @Anne_Hidalgo @BrunoJulliard pic.twitter.com/yTUqAgYcmE
— Les Coqs Festifs (@lescoqsfestifs) June 26, 2018
#franceinfo "Après les tags homophobes, la mairie de Paris annonce que les passages arcs-en-ciel peints pour la Marche des fiertés seront permanents" #LGBT #Homophobie #Paris #Marais ... Réaction à l'intolérance ! ... https://t.co/B3QGAOqhIv
— Gaby Wald (@gaby_wald) June 28, 2018
"Today I am making a symbolic decision: we will make the rainbow pedestrian crossings that we installed in the Marais permanent," said Hidalgo adding that it would send a "positive signal "and would be a " welcome message" for visitors to the neighborhood.
She later tweeted out the message: "Paris is a city of refuge that embraces the Republican values of freedom, equality and fraternity. In order for these values to be recorded forever, the rainbow pedestrian walkways created for Gay Pride will be permanent!"
#Paris est une ville refuge qui fait sienne les valeurs républicaines de liberté, d’égalité et de fraternité. Pour qu’elles s’inscrivent à jamais en ses murs, les passages piétons arc-en-ciel créés pour la #MarcheFesFiertés seront permanents ! #ParisEstFière #LGBT ?️?♥️ pic.twitter.com/do6lJoTZWm
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) June 27, 2018
Hidalgo also announced that two more pedestrian crossings will be adorned with the rainbow colours.
The Gay Pride march will begin at Place de la Concorde at 2pm before heading along Rue de Rivoli past the Louvre and then on to Place de la Republique where the party will continue into the evening.
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