In a disturbing development, the rainbow pedestrian crossing in Cape Town’s Green Point district has been vandalised twice in a matter of days.
On Monday, Ward Councillor Ian McMahon confirmed that vandals had targeted the LGBTQ+ landmark over the weekend, causing significant damage to the rainbow colours.
A photo shared by McMahon on Facebook shows black marks across the surface and the word “Jesus” written on it.
He revealed that city officials had reacted quickly by temporarily painting over the crossing with pink paint, as the city did not have the required colours in stock to restore it.
“Unfortunately not all of the specialised paint colours required to restore the full rainbow are currently available,” he explained. “The outstanding colours have been ordered, with an expected lead time of approximately three months.”
He added that the rainbow has not disappeared permanently: “Once all the required colours have arrived, the intention is to restore the Rainbow Crossing to its full rainbow design.”
Rainbow Crossing Targeted Again With Religious Graffiti
However, just hours later, a vandal again targeted the now-pink crossing with religious graffiti.
The words “Perversion, Romans 1:24-27” and “Jesus is Lord” were scrawled across the pink surface in white paint.
It is not clear whether the same individual was responsible for both incidents, but MambaOnline has learned that, on the second occasion, a man was arrested in connection with the graffiti.
Cape Town’s Rainbow Crossing Has Faced Opposition Before
The city first installed the rainbow crossing in 2022 along Somerset Road, between the intersections with Alfred Street and Dixon Street in Green Point.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said at the time that the crossing was intended to send a message that “We want all to feel welcome in our city where we embrace diversity…”
The crossing almost instantly became a source of contention among conservative religious groups and political parties.
The anti-LGBTQ+ African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) unsuccessfully demanded that it be scrapped, claiming that it violated National Road Traffic Regulations.
The following year, in June 2023, homophobic Cape Town politician Mehmet Vefa Dag called on his supporters to help him paint over the crossing with black paint.
On the allotted day, however, not a single individual turned out to support his threatened act of vandalism. Instead, he was met by defiant members of the LGBTQ+ community, including drag queen Stella Rose.
