By BIN
(Source: BIN)
A Black Lives Matter mural in Houston, Texas dedicated to George Floyd, the 46-year-old Black man killed by Minneapolis police, could soon be removed under a new state order, per Houston Public Media.
Under the direction of Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) issued an order earlier this month giving cities 30 days to comply with a statewide ban on “pavement markings such as decorative crosswalks, murals, or markings conveying artwork or other messages” along public roadways.
The ban has already led to the removal of the rainbow crosswalks found in Montrose. Now, the red and yellow letters spelling “Black Lives Matter” that stretch across Alabama Street just outside of Yates High School, Floyd’s alma mater, are facing a similar fate.
Officials have kept details about the mural’s possible removal under wraps.
“We’re not addressing it right now. In fact, the less you say about it, the better,” Mayor John Whitmire said earlier this week, noting that he’s been communicating with stakeholders.
City Council member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who represents Houston’s Third Ward, where the mural lies, said she was unaware of any official decision regarding the mural’s future.
“It’s to commemorate a graduate of Jack Yates High School,” Evans-Shabazz said. “The students participated in creating it. It’s symbolic — and it’s really a travesty that something so meaningful, particularly created by our youth, could be destroyed.”
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, whose jurisdiction includes the mural, declined to comment on the matter. TxDOT has directed inquiries to city and county officials.
During a news conference last week, City Council member Abbie Kamin referenced the BLM mural while discussing the removal of Montrose’s rainbow crosswalks, noting, “It’s not just about targeting rainbows.”
