By Kwame Boakye
July 29 2020, 17.10
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Two rainbow zebra crossings featuring the colours of the Pride flag were unveiled in Richmond last week.
The crossings were installed outside Richmond Station and King Street in Twickenham due to the high number of foot traffic at both sites.
The support for the LGBTQ+ community comes amidst worrying statistics. According to figures released earlier this year, homophobic hate crimes in London have risen by 55% over the last five years.
Don Rainbow, chair of the Richmond and Wandsworth LGBT equality group, said: “We wanted to show the council’s commitment to the LGBT community, especially with Pride being cancelled in the UK due to Covid.”
Camden and Haringey have also adopted rainbow crossings and Mr Rainbow hopes other boroughs will follow suit and unite in showing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ cause.
He said: “Rainbow crossings send a message out that councils are committed to that community and stamping out homophobia and transphobia.”
