Phoenix passes on proposed Black Lives Matter street mural
Sep 10, 2020, 7:25 AM | Updated: 11:40 am
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PHOENIX – The city of Phoenix has turned down a proposal for a Black Lives Matter mural on a downtown street, citing regulations and safety concerns.
City Manager Ed Zuercher said in a letter Wednesday to organizers that, “As you were made aware during previous discussion with Street Transportation staff, installation of a mural, or any other non-standard markings, on a city street (in public rights-of-way), is not currently allowed.”
The mural could have been on Third Street next to downtown’s Talking Stick Resort Arena.
A week ago, a city council subcommittee set aside a discussion on the mural’s potential installation to look further into the legalities.
There has been a growing effort to install street murals in cities such as New York City, Oakland, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago and Tucson.
An online petition urging Mayor Kate Gallego to allow the mural had collected more than 3,000 signatures as of early Thursday.
The mural would have included paintings of civil rights icons Dr. Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who died in July.