France: Rainbow pedestrian crossings 'will be permanent!', Paris mayor says

Saturday, July 7, 2018

On Wednesday, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo announced via Twitter that the rainbow-coloured crossings in the French capital are to be made permanent. This move comes after multiple vandalisations of rainbow-coloured crossroads during this year's Paris Pride.

Hidalgo tweeted, saying, "Paris is a city of refuge that embraces Republican values of freedom, equality and fraternity. In order for these values to be recorded forever, the rainbow pedestrian crossings created for Gay Pride will be permanent!" ^{((fr))french language: ‍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 !}

The crossings were installed on June 14, and later, they were vandalised with the words written "LGBT dictatorship" ^{((fr))French language: ‍"Dictature LGBT"}, "LGBT out of France" ^{((fr))French language: ‍"LGBT hors de France"} and "Hidalgo go away" ^{((fr))French language: ‍"Hidalgo dégage"}. That time, Hidalgo said, "This act of homophobia won't go unpunished." ^{((fr))french language: ‍Cette homophobie ne restera pas impunie.}

After the vandalism, French politician Jean-Luc Romero said, "Anti-LGBTQI hatred struck at the heart of Paris. Our answer is Saturday when hundreds of thousands of people will parade for the Pride Walk!" This year's Paris Pride took place on June 30.

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Sources

Samuel Leighton-Dore. "Paris mayor makes rainbow crossing permanent after homophobic vandalism" — SBS News, July 7, 2018
Ella Braidwood. "Paris mayor makes rainbow crossings ‘permanent’ after they were vandalised twice in one week" — Pink News, July 4, 2018
Emma Beswick. "Paris mayor makes 'rainbow crossings' permanent in response to homophobic vandalism" — Euronews, July 3, 2018
"Paris 'rainbow crossings' hit by homophobic graffiti... again" — Thelocal.fr, June 29, 2018
"Paris responds to homophobic graffiti by making 'rainbow crossings' permanent" — Thelocal.fr, June 28, 2018
"Gay Paris deputy mayor slams anti-LGBTI vandals who deface rainbow crosswalk" — Gay Star News, June 26, 2018

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