What was intended as a sign of tolerance and diversity triggered a wave of hostility online: after the municipality of Niederanven decorated part of the “Am Sand” cycle path in rainbow colors, it initially found itself with one Shitstorm on her Facebook page faced. But that’s not all: the cycle path has now fallen victim to vandalism.
Tire tracks and penis sketch
Two weeks after the rainbow colors were applied, the cycle path offers a frightening sight: unknown people have scratched the outline of a male genitalia into the colorful paint coating, which is also contaminated in many places with partly circular traces of rubber tires. The latter occur, for example, when you “drift” with a bicycle or scooter under strong force or turn in circles with the brakes on.
The community has filed a complaint
On Daily newspaper-Inquiry says Mayor Fréd Ternes (CSV) that his team filed a police report about vandalism this Wednesday (April 22nd).
However, he currently doesn’t suspect a politically motivated act of sabotage of the rainbow symbolism: “These penis drawings can also be found in other places around the school. I tend to assume that these were young people who did something stupid.” Initial findings indicate that the tire tracks were caused by e-scooters.
Nevertheless: The police will continue to investigate and in this context will also evaluate the videos from surveillance cameras near the cycle path. “As soon as the police have completed their investigations on site, we will have the penis and the tire tracks painted over,” says Ternes – after all, the rainbow is not just a temporary action, but should remain.
