Rainbow Crosswalks: Man caught repainting rainbow crosswalks in Oak Lawn after state-mandated removal

DALLAS - A man was arrested early Tuesday morning after he was caught repainting a rainbow crosswalk in the Oak Lawn neighborhood, just one day after the city began removing the displays to comply with a state mandate.

Oak Lawn rainbow crosswalk arrest

What we know:

Dallas police said 25-year-old Joseph Whiteside was spotted around 3:30 a.m. near Cedar Springs Road and Knight Street. 

Officers found him with a bag of paint and chalk. He had reportedly outlined a rainbow and planned to fill it in with chalk. 

Whiteside was cited for misdemeanor graffiti and arrested for unrelated warrants. He remains in police custody.

Texas mandate on "political messaging" in Dallas crosswalks

The backstory:

The removal began on Monday morning as Dallas worked to comply with a Texas Department of Transportation order. 

Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott called for the removal of "decorative designs" on public roadways, labeling them "political messaging" and a distraction to drivers. Abbott threatened to withhold state funding from cities that did not comply.

TxDOT notified city officials in October 2025 that the designs did not meet standards set by the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. While Dallas attempted to preserve the markings, TxDOT issued a final denial on Jan. 15.

Officials anticipate all 30 affected crosswalks, including a Black Lives Matter crosswalk in Fair Park, will be brought into state conformity by April 28. The city hopes to complete the project within three weeks.

SMU decorative designs can stay

What we know:

A decorative intersection in University Park that was partially funded by Southern Methodist University will be allowed to stay. 

The intersection at Hillcrest and Daniel avenues features colored crosswalks with SMU's pony logo in the center of the intersection.

"After review of the TxDOT documents, we believe all intersections within the city are in compliance with the governor’s order. This determination was shared with TxDOT, and no further action was requested," the city of University Park said in response to FOX 4's questions about whether the decorations would be removed.

LGBTQ+ community responds to Oak Lawn crosswalk removal

Dig deeper:

The Oak Lawn crosswalks were originally funded by more than $100,000 in donations, according to the North Texas LGBTQ Chamber Foundation. Residents gathered on sidewalks Monday to watch the removal, with many expressing feelings of being targeted.

"My personal emotions are grief," Valerie Jackson, chair of the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Foundation, told FOX 4. "It is interesting that it would take tax dollars to remove these right now."

Constitutional lawyer David Coale noted that the state's action is legal so long as the rule is applied uniformly.

"If they have a rule that purports to be about anything in a crosswalk, but they only enforce it against certain kinds of crosswalks, there might be some argument there," Coale said. "But generally speaking, when the state spends money, it gets to put conditions on it."

Dallas community engagement: Alternative art programs and meetings

What you can do:

In response, the Office of Arts and Culture is developing alternative programs to recognize neighborhood identities through public art that does not involve pavement markings. Assistant City Manager Dev Rastogi stated in a memo to the City Council that the city is reviewing how peer cities handle similar requirements.

The city has scheduled three community engagement sessions for resident input:

• Uptown: 5:30 p.m. April 6 at Theater Three, 2688 Laclede St.
• South Dallas: 5:30 p.m. April 8 at the South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S. Fitzhugh.
• Cedar Springs: 5:30 p.m. April 10 at the Reverchon Recreation Center, 3505 Maple Ave.