HOUSTON, TX –  In the early hours of Monday morning, METRO crews destroyed the rainbow crosswalks in Montrose. The work began less than a day after more than 220 residents gathered to protest their removal and urge city officials to defend them. 

Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive eleven days ago requiring state and local agencies to remove rainbow crosswalks within thirty days. METRO acted with nineteen days remaining. The agency was not compelled to move tonight. It did so willingly, aligning Houston’s local government with a state effort to erase a community that has long been part of this city’s story.

“These crosswalks were created to honor Alex Hill, a pedestrian killed by a driver in Montrose,” said Emmanuel Núñez, Founding Director of the nonprofit A Tale of Two Bridges. “They represent safety and visibility for a neighborhood that helped shape Houston’s culture. Removing them before the deadline showed a deliberate choice to yield to political pressure instead of protecting Houston’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community.”

Advocates are calling for leadership from City Hall. “The Mayor often points to his relationships with state leaders as proof that he can deliver for Houston,” said Joseph Panzarella. “Those relationships should have been used to defend this city. Instead, Houston’s leaders capitulated to an order rooted in hatred. The governor issued the directive, but the city carried it out.”

Montrose has always fought for expression, resilience, and belonging. Its residents deserve a city that will protect them when they are targeted by the state. Houston’s leaders must decide whether they serve the communities that built this city or a governor who seeks to divide it.