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Nashville plans to re-paint rainbow crosswalk after it was vandalized

Just days after the crosswalk was finished, the city is already dealing with targeted vandalism.
Posted at 4:13 PM, Jul 08, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Just days after completion, a splash of hate was thrown on East Nashville's new rainbow crosswalk.

Last Tuesday, a driver drove through the crosswalk on 14th Street and Woodland, pouring black paint on the rainbow crosswalk.

On Monday, officials said they are still working to identify that car and its driver, hoping to bring charges of vandalism or destruction of public property.

City leaders are also working fast to respond, with plans to repaint this weekend.

“We’ve got more love than they do, we have more paint than they do, so come on out and stand with our LGBTQ neighbors,” said councilman Clay Capp, District 6.

The re-painting event will be held this Saturday, July 13 at 9 a.m. at the crosswalk on 14th Street and Woodland.

District representatives say they were prepared for something like this, and are already stocked up on all the colors needed to restore the crosswalk.

“There was a lot of vitriol out there of folks saying, ‘that is a great place to burn rubber’ or ‘paint thinner will fix this problem.’ There was a lot of hate out of the gate that led me to believe something was going to happen. It was just a matter of when,” said councilwoman Emily Benedict, District 7.

For now, officials are asking anyone with information on the vandalism, to contact crime stoppers at 615-742-7463.