Neighborhood spars over blue ribbons on trees
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A battle is brewing over blue ribbons and who has the legal right to say whether they can be taken down in one Harris County neighborhood.
The ribbons have become a national symbol of support of law enforcement in light of attacks on police -- you've seen them tied around trees, columns, and posts. We told you last week how residents and the Cypresswood Community Association were locked in battle over the ribbons. The association, out of concern for the ongoing look of the neighborhood, said the ribbons needed to come down.
Someone did take them down.
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Then hundreds gathered to put them back up. Blue ribbons stretch along Cypresswood Drive, the three-and-a-half miles between Kuykendahl and the North Freeway.
"I love them because I think we need to support our police," said Pat Adcock, who lives nearby.
This weekend, someone took a picture of a woman cutting the ribbons down -- again. You can see her holding scissors and ribbon. Eyewitnesses said she was saying she did it because of the association's stance against the ribbons. That rekindled a social media firestorm.
"So if somebody comes and cuts them down there, somebody against that, I don't like that at all," said Charlie Diggs, who lives nearby.
On Monday, most of the ribbons were back up. Someone replaced them -- again, for a third time.
The Cypresswood Community Association has a meeting set for Monday at 7pm. The ribbons will be discussed. No one from the association responded to our repeated attempts today for comment.
A spokesperson for Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle says they have looked into the issue and concluded that, while the esplanade on which the trees are planted is owned by the county, since it is maintained by the Cypresswood Homeowner's Association, deed restrictions as set forth by the association apply.
