SAN ANTONIO – Members of the LGBTQ+ community protested the removal of San Antonio’s rainbow crosswalks on Tuesday.
On Monday morning, crews began the process of removing the rainbow crosswalks.
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The city will install rainbow sidewalks along the stretch of North Main Avenue, in the heart of the Pride Cultural Heritage District, after months of back-and-forth between city and state leaders.
>> WATCH: San Antonio begins removal of Pride district’s rainbow crosswalks
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an Oct. 8, 2025, directive for cities and counties to “remove any and all political ideologies” from Texas streets.
The order came months after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a “SAFE ROADS” initiative in July 2025 that included a push to reduce “distractions,” saying, “roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork.”
San Antonio made an unsuccessful attempt to get an exception for its rainbow crosswalks, but in December 2025, Assistant City Manager John Peterek told the Texas Department of Transportation the city would remove and replace the crosswalks by Jan. 15.
About 30 people attended the protest Tuesday night.
“These are all people that are really upset about the entire situation. ... We really hope that San Antonio takes note that there are people here that are angry and frustrated by what they are doing,” advocate Hya Zakite said.
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