A plan to promote Battle Creek as a city welcome to the LGBT community was marred by protests.

On Monday, crews from Ace Parking Lot Striping were painting the four crosswalks at Capital Ave. and Van Buren St. rainbow in color, for Battle Creek’s upcoming Pride festival; the project was privately funded by a grant from the Battle Creek Community Foundation to Battle Creek Pride.

The Battle Creek Enquirer says that as crews were working, a group of around a dozen protesters formed outside of the St. Philip Catholic Church, carrying signs saying things like “stop promoting sexuality to our kids”. This prompted counter-protesters to set up outside St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a roughly equal-sized group carrying signs of support for the crosswalks.

Despite the dueling ideologies, the demonstrations were peaceful and calm.

This project comes about a week before the Battle Creek Pride Festival and Parade, which runs July 18 to the 21. The rainbow crosswalk is expected to be just a temporary installation.

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