Motorized Scooters Will Shut Down If They Touch the Pride Mural in Spokane

As we reported, some city leaders broke down in tears during a press conference announcing that a manhunt was underway in Washington for several suspects who "desecrated" a Spokane pride mural painted on the road. Just a few hours after Spokane repainted the LGBTQ+ pride mural, three teenagers were arrested for first-degree "malicious mischief" for leaving skid marks on the mural with their rented scooters.

A local reporter was triggered to see teens back at it the next day:

A group of five to six kids just starting doing donuts and creating skid marks on the Pride Mural. Right in front of me as we’re reporting on three people getting arrested for doing the same thing last night.@KHQLocalNews pic.twitter.com/FMXGAg77fx

— Adam Schwager (@schwagerTV) June 6, 2024

If you don't have them in your city, a company called Lime rents out motorized scooters using a system where you scan a QR code with your phone. Lime condemned the use of their scooters to commit such a crime:

Lime condemns and takes action on the vandalism of the Spokane Pride mural, with scooters from the company being used to create skid marks on the mural.https://t.co/jJOCBXd5v0

— KHQ Local News (@KHQLocalNews) June 7, 2024

Further, Lime said it had put a "no-go zone" around the pride mural. They can do that?

The pride flag crosswalk in Spokane, Washington, has now been designated a "no-go zone" by Lime scooters following the arrest of multiple teens for leaving "skid marks" on the mural.

The scooters will now shut down if they are driven over the pride flag.https://t.co/wNDvgLi1f8

— ThePublica (@ThePublicaNow) June 9, 2024

The Publica reports:

“All of us at Lime condemn these vile acts in no uncertain terms,” Lime Director of Government Relations Hayden Harvey told The National Desk. “At a time when our teams at Lime are beginning pride celebrations around the globe, it is disturbing to see the hate taking place in Spokane.”

Lime has now implemented a “no-go zone” over the crosswalk, meaning scooters driven over the mural will be remotely shut down. According to the company’s website, entering a “no-go zone” will cause a Lime vehicle to “gradually come to a stop,” forcing a rider to walk their scooter until it is outside the zone.

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I think we should all take several long moments to discuss the fact that technology exists to create no go zones for public streets. https://t.co/mqhgcjRPgH

— alexandriabrown (@alexthechick) June 10, 2024

You can rent a scooter but will have to walk it across the pride mural.

So Spokane shut down a street because of paint on the road?

— SeldenGADawgs (@SeldenGADawgs) June 10, 2024

Don’t put your flag on the floor 👏

— Amygator 🐊 *not an actual alligator (@AmyA1A) June 10, 2024

This keeps happening across the country. Maybe it would be a good idea not to paint your sacred symbol on the road.

Every good American must burn out over the false idols at every opportunity.

— Duke of Toxic Masculinity (@LeviathanLeap) June 10, 2024

Wow they really treat it like a sacred religious object

— Furio of Antioch (@musashi_riposte) June 9, 2024

It's a street.

— Max (@MaxNordau) June 10, 2024

Then it's not a crosswalk.

It's an altar that Caesar had ordered be venerated.

— Erik Johnson 🦬 (@RedProdigal) June 9, 2024

But the government would never abuse this technology to shut down your electric car for any arbitrary reason once they force you out of your gas-powered vehicle.

— AdamInHTownTX (Not a Neurologist) (@AdamInHTownTX) June 10, 2024

Right?

I hope the town will show how they feel about that nonsense

— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) June 10, 2024

So you can burn an American flag or piss on a priest’s leg in a Catholic Church but you can’t ride a scooter in a crosswalk that celebrates how people like to have sex. Got it.

— Mocking SF Values (@Mockingsfvalues) June 10, 2024

So these scooters can't cross at that intersection now?

Maybe a better solution is to not put protected imagery on a roadway.

— matt dooley (@mdooley) June 10, 2024

It is scary to know that Lime can put up no-go zones for its scooters. If the GPS detects you're in a forbidden area, the scooter shuts down, even though you've rented it.

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