Gisborne's Gladstone Rd pride crossing has been painted white in an apparent protest.
1News understands the move was made by the Gisborne branch of Destiny Church.
Posts circulating online show the group painting the crossing yesterday evening, where they claim to be protesting a drag queen story time set to be hosted at the Gisborne HB Williams Library.
Despite the protest, Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the event will go ahead, and they have done a full risk assessment of the venue.
"Police will be present at the event and protesters have been warned they are not to prevent anyone entering the library," she said.
"I would like to clarify that the library's programming decisions are made with the intent to provide a wide range of educational and cultural opportunities that reflect the diversity of our community.
"The event in question was designed to offer perspectives on gender diversity and inclusion, topics that are increasingly being recognised as important areas of public discourse.
"Our aim is to foster a space for open dialogue, learning, and understanding on a variety of subjects."
Stoltz added the destruction of the crossing only "fuels hatred and division" between people, and authorities will be reinstating the rainbow crossing as quickly as possible.
Initially painted in 2021, Stoltz said the crossing shows Tairāwhiti is an "inclusive region".
"We accept people hold different views however there is no place for hatred or bigotry in Tairāwhiti."
She said the Gisborne District Council strongly condemns the vandalism, and the group created a "safety issue" by holding up traffic while it took place.
"We absolutely object to individuals interfering with our road markings and the safety of people on our roads," she said.
"We will be working with the police to make those involved accountable and seeking reparations for the cost of the work.
"We stand in solidarity with the rainbow community and strongly support the message of the rainbow crossing as well as the kaupapa of the library event.
"This kind of visibility of acceptance saves lives. We are very mindful of the struggle some of our young people face when there is no recognition for them as they explore their identities," she added.
"Rainbows are representative of joy for everyone."
Stoltz said the day-to-day operations and event programming at the library do not involve voting by the councillors or public.
"Our staff are committed to selecting programmes that educate, inform, and entertain while respecting the broad spectrum of views held by our patrons.
"We recognise that not every programme will align with the personal values of every community member, but we strive to maintain a balanced and inclusive calendar of events that serve the varied interests of our community as a whole."
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