ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Neighborhood watch signs in Ann Arbor are no longer standing after the city voted to remove them in the name of “inclusivity.”

After the Ann Arbor City Council unanimously voted for removal, officials took down more than 600 neighborhood watch signs. Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, a Democrat, explained in a video that, “Frankly, neighborhood watch signs are expressions of exclusion, and inconsistent with our values.”

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He added, “Ann Arbor is a welcoming community. We don’t want to push people away. We want to welcome folks in.”

City Council member Cynthia Harrison, who is black, said the change is reflective of how city officials want people to “feel” in Ann Arbor. She said, “There are people that look like me and those from my community that have been questioned, quite frankly, in their own neighborhoods by others wondering what they’re doing there.”

One commenter on social media called the signs “worthless.” Others saw things differently. One commenter on X said, “At this point, you have to conclude that democrats are pro-crime.” Another said, “They want the criminals to feel welcome.”

The City Council set aside $18,000 for the removal of the signs.

The National Neighborhood Watch program started in 1972. It’s website states, “Not only does neighborhood watch allow citizens to help in the fight against crime, it is also an opportunity for communities to bond through service.”