Montrose residents rally above Southwest Freeway days after pride crosswalk was destroyed

HOUSTON (KIAH) – Dozens of Montrose residents and LGBTQ+ organizations filled a pedestrian bridge above the Southwest Freeway on Monday. Those who attended the mid-afternoon banner drop waved pride flags and held colorful banners in a powerful show of unity. Their message was simple: Montrose will not be erased.

“We’re really here for community and letting people know how loved and welcomed they are in this city that we all love. We wouldn’t be fighting so much to keep it this way in a loving and welcoming place if we didn’t love it as much as we do,” said organizer Davis Mendoza Darusman.

The group gathered after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the removal of the neighborhood’s rainbow-colored crosswalk, a well-known landmark that celebrated Houston’s LGBTQ+ community for years. The crosswalk, painted at the intersection of Westheimer Road and Taft Street, was removed earlier this month following the governor’s order to eliminate what he described as “nonstandard roadway markings.”

“Houston is a loving and safe place for the LGBTQ+ community because we have each other, even if we don’t have the state or local government behind us. Our crosswalk may have gone away, but we’re not going anywhere,” said Darusman.

The crosswalk was dug up, and new asphalt was laid down by METRO. The job was finished around 11:20 am. However, the job started in the overnight hours around 2:00 a.m., and when they arrived, protesters stood side by side and chanted “Whose street, our street,” blocking workers and police from starting the crosswalk cover-up.

Abbott said keeping the crosswalk would have had repercussions on the city and residents by not removing the markings in time; Houston risked forfeiting millions of dollars in state and federal transportation assistance.

For many in Montrose, the move hit deeply. They say the crosswalk wasn’t just paint; it represented visibility, inclusion, and decades of progress for Houston’s queer community.

As cars sped beneath the bridge, supporters waved flags and cheered, receiving honks of encouragement from passing drivers. Organizers said the rally was a way to stand up to Governor Abbott despite the state’s efforts to remove its symbols of pride.

Local advocacy groups say more events are planned in the coming weeks. As they search for a more permanent place to reimagine the Pride symbol.