‘No U-turn’ and ‘No cruising’ signs in Silver Lake used to target LGBTQ+ community in the ’90s removed

SILVER LAKE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The last remaining street signs that were used to target the LGBTQ+ community in Silver Lake in the ’90s were removed Monday.

City leaders along with local LGBTQ+ organizations and community members gathered near Griffith Park Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue to take down the last several “No U-Turn” and “No Cruising” signs, which were installed in the ’90s when neighbors complained about a gay bar in the area. They were essentially used to prevent people in the gay community from meeting up with other gay people.

“I was also surprised that these U-turn signs were still up, and at first, they seem a little … ‘Oh, ok, it’s just a no U-turn sign,’ but when you learn the history of it, and you realize that these were used to profile gay people, it’s so important that we have these removed,” said Silver Lake Neighborhood Councilmember Maebe A. Girl.

The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council voted to dismantle the signs in 2011.