Indianapolis to paint 'Black lives matter' on downtown street

Indianapolis will paint "Black lives matter" on a downtown street as a public condemnation of racism, the City-County Council approved in a resolution Monday. 

Department of Public Works employees will help coordinate the effort to paint the message on Indiana Avenue between West and Paca streets. 

The resolution follows weeks of protests in downtown Indianapolis against the death of Black citizens at the hands of police officers — both in Indianapolis and nationwide. Protests erupted nationally following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but anger also swelled over other deaths, including that of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Dreasjon Reed in Indianapolis. 

It comes as the city and the council work to address racial equality and racial justice. The council previously declared racism a public health crisis, and the city removed a Confederate memorial in Garfield Park.  

Mayor Joe Hogsett also has announced a three-member panel to review how the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the protests downtown, the first weekend of which in late May later gave way to rioting and tear gas. 

The street-painting resolution passed with 21 council members in favor. The votes from the remaining four were not audibly heard during the meeting, which was held virtually. 

"I'd like to propose painting Blue Lives Matter across Market Street," Republican council member Paul Annee Tweeted after the meeting. 

Call IndyStar reporter Amelia Pak-Harvey at 317-444-6175 or email her at apakharvey@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmeliaPakHarvey.