LOS ANGELES (AP) — Frustrated by the city’s slow progress in painting crosswalks at intersections they believe are unsafe, activists in Los Angeles have been picking up paint rollers and doing it themselves. Now one of them has been arrested on a vandalism charge.
In a video posted online, Jonathan Hale wears a bright yellow safety vest as he’s handcuffed by a police officer Sunday. His group, People’s Vision Zero, had organized a guerrilla 'paint party' at a four-way crossing in a leafy residential neighborhood of west LA.
“You’re vandalizing city property without a permit,” the officer says.
A woman out of frame can be heard saying, “Leave him alone. He’s not doing anything wrong.”
Hale and his allies have organized stealth painting operations across the city at intersections they deem dangerous to pedestrians. They set up barricades and yellow tape and swiftly use rollers to paint the street with bright white markers that they say are code compliant. The group is expanding on work done for years by a similar advocacy organization, the Crosswalk Collective.
“Now, the city will have to spend taxpayer dollars removing our half-finished crosswalk when this whole situation could have been avoided if the mayor’s office didn’t choose to ignore an issue where people’s lives are at stake,” Hale said in a statement following his arrest.
Hale expressed that he has been in contact with the office of Mayor Karen Bass and the city’s Department of Transportation, but stated that there has been little response. He mentioned the need for quick action, emphasizing, “Since then I’ve made it clear to them that we won’t stop unless they publicly condemn us, or take tangible steps to make our streets safer.”
In response, the mayor’s office stated that it has offered to collaborate with Hale and “any Angeleno who wants to make our streets safer” to expedite the installation of crosswalks. The office also noted, “Despite communication about City, State, and Federal laws and parameters, Jonathan has chosen to continue his own course of action.”
Alex Ramirez, executive director of the pro-pedestrian nonprofit Los Angeles Walks, highlighted the need for a formal program to support residents in improving street safety. While not directly connected with Hale’s group, she understands the frustration felt by the community when responses to flagged dangerous intersections are slow.
Hale was cited for misdemeanor vandalism and is scheduled for a court appearance on January 5.
