Street crosswalk artwork painted by Kacksonville artist David Nackashi and elementary school students has been removed by the state of Florida DOT.

“I comply with all the rules. Flat geometry only, nothing to confuse drivers,” he said. “I told these kids the paint would last their whole time in school. It didn’t even make it through the summer, because of politics.”

At R.L. Brown, a custodian described the removal as erasing memories.

“That’s a shame. They’re taking away kids’ handprints from something they did,” she said. “When they grow up, they can’t tell their kids, ‘I did this,’ because the city took it away.”