Rainbow crossing

These photos, reminiscent of the Beatles Abbey Road album cover were posted on Facebook and the crosswalk was repainted white a few hours later.

The removal of the crossing inspired a rainbow chalk community protest started by Sydney local James Brechney.

[10] Pictures of chalk rainbow crossings from many places around the world appeared on social media including Paris, Shanghai, Pretoria, Thailand and Cambodia.

[14] After media attention, council issued a statement labelling it a slip hazard and requested a permit be obtained before it could be re-chalked.

This group has also ensured the area remains free of litter; they also hold occasional performances and arts-related celebrations at the site.

[21][22] In 2011, the United States Federal Highway Administration advised that "crosswalk art is actually contrary to the goal of increased safety and most likely could be a contributing factor to a false sense of security for both motorists and pedestrians".

[28] In response to an open letter by the RNIB, the Alzheimer's Society and Scope, London mayor Sadiq Khan temporarily paused the crossings.

[34] In October 2022, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated a potential hate crime after a severed pig's head was found on a rainbow crosswalk outside a school near Spruce Grove, Alberta.

[37] A rainbow crossing on Karangahape Road in Auckland was subsequently defaced in the same manner, but Destiny Church denied involvement.

[38] In June 2024, video showed a pickup truck doing burnouts on a newly installed rainbow crossing in Huntington, West Virginia.

On February 22, 2024, a bill was passed by referendum in the Canadian town of Westlock, Alberta, which prohibits the painting of crosswalks with non-standard designs, or the flying of flags on municipal property that represent "political, social, or religious movements or commercial entities".

The bill's passage was criticized by Westlock's mayor and other local politicians, who believed that it was specifically meant to restrict LGBT pride commemorations by the municipal government.