Crews clean up iconic Midtown Atlanta rainbow crosswalks
ATLANTA - Renovations to an iconic landmark in the heart of Midtown Atlanta began on Tuesday after being vandalized over the weekend.
Parts of Atlanta's rainbow crosswalks, at the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street, were covered in what appear to be skid marks. Residents woke up to the sight on Monday morning and have since found videos of the cars responsible on social media.
The Atlanta Police Department said a few people called 911 at around midnight to report "street racing."
"The citizens in our communities are tired of the loud noise and the disruption to their lives with streets being shut down so a certain segment of the population can entertain themselves. APD hears the complaints and is on a mission to put a stop to the criminals who engage," the Atlanta Police Department wrote in part on Tuesday.
Police said officers haven't issued citations or made any arrests, but are working the case.
"We will not allow violators to continue with their blatant disregard for public safety and the laws. This activity is disturbing to all who live, work, and visit the City. We want the community and the participants to know, we won’t stop until all of those involved, get the message that Atlanta has zero-tolerance for street racers," Atlanta police wrote.
The Atlanta Department of Transportation had a crew out at the crosswalks on Tuesday using a pressure hose, solvent and brooms to remove the skid marks.
When were Atlanta's rainbow crosswalks painted?
The crosswalks were introduced as symbol of unity during Atlanta Pride Week in 2015.
Then-Mayor Kasim Reed decided to make the crosswalks a permanent fixture to the area in 2017.
Artist Robert Sepulveda Jr. spent more than a year planning the crosswalks.
How is Georgia combating street racing?
Lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 pushed by Gov. Brian Kemp to crack down on street racing.
The governor is gearing up for a reelection run in 2022 and has touted efforts to fight crime in Atlanta, saying it has a "serious crime problem."
In May 2021, Kemp granted $5 million to the Georgia Department of Public Safety to fight street racing.