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one south texas The city has removed a mural protesting the border wall on the southern border Mexico after government threat greg abbott Freezing up to $1.6 billion in road funding.
The graffiti, which was painted on a street in front of the Federal Court Laredo and saying, “Defund the Wall” were removed Tuesday evening, said Noraida Negron, a spokeswoman for the city of Laredo.
It was removed after Laredo’s City Council voted to do so on Monday.
Laredo is the latest US city to remove political messages or artwork from streets following a directive from President Donald Trump’s administration and action by Republicans.
In August, Florida authorities removed rainbow-colored crosswalks outside the Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were shot. In March, crews in Washington, DC removed a large yellow “Black Lives Matter” graffiti that was painted on a street a block away from the White House. The expulsion came after pressure from Republicans in Congress.
During a contentious meeting Monday, Laredo Mayor Victor Trevino said he had requested a vote on removing the graffiti after receiving a letter earlier this month from the Texas Department of Transportation, or TxDOT, directing the city to eliminate the graffiti or risk losing up to $1.6 billion in funding for roads.
Trevino said, “We are not going to destroy our community for what is considered a special vantage point on our public streets, regardless of whether that speech is popular or well-received.”
On October 8, Abbott directed TxDOT to ensure that all Texas cities and counties are in compliance with federal and state guidelines on road safety and that symbols, flags, and other signs conveying social or political messages are prohibited.
“The people of Texas expect their taxpayer money to be used wisely, not to advance political agendas on the streets of Texas,” Abbott said in a statement.
Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.
Abbott’s directive came after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in July sent a letter to all U.S. governors calling for intersections and crosswalks to be kept free of distractions as part of a nationwide road initiative.
“The streets are for safety, not political messages or artwork,” Duffy said in a statement in July.
The mural in Laredo was painted in 2020 using private funds and came amid lawsuits and protests against border wall construction in the area. In 2021, federal officials terminated all remaining border contracts for the Laredo sector.
In Laredo, Elsa Hull, a landowner who opposes construction of the border wall, told City Council members on Monday that the state’s order to remove graffiti was “bullies threatening our city.”
“This mural enabled people to unite and stand up against injustice and protect us from having our land, our homes, and our river taken away from us. This is part of our history. Don’t erase our voices completely,” Hull said.
The removal of graffiti in Laredo was carried out by authorities earlier this month houston The rainbow-colored crosswalk that had been in place for the past eight years was removed out of respect for the LGBTQ+ community.
During a City Council meeting earlier this month, Houston Mayor John Whitmire criticized Abbott’s directive, but said the city would lose any legal challenge against the order.
“If as a city we don’t find ways to take a stand, what’s next?” said Houston City Council member Abby Kamin. “When something is erased like this that means so much to so many people, there is a real impact on the community.”
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