Backlash Erupts After Italian Heritage Symbol Erased in Newton (Copy)

For 90 years, the green, white, and red stripe down a Newton street stood as a proud symbol of the city’s Italian American community. But just days before the 90th annual Italian American Festival, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller quietly ordered it removed—without warning, public input, or notice to organizers.

The community’s response was immediate and passionate.
Residents rallied together, repainting the colors themselves in an act of unity and defiance. One man was even briefly detained for attempting to restore the tricolore in protest. “They could’ve waited until after the festival,” said local Mike Callahan, who launched a petition gathering thousands of signatures demanding the symbol’s return.

The St. Mary of Carmen Society, organizers of the beloved festival, was never notified of the removal.
“These lines are not just paint,” the Society said. “They are sacred symbols of Italian American pride, religious tradition, and community identity.”

Thanks to the combined will of the Newton community and the advocacy of the Italian American Civil Rights League, the mayor ultimately allowed the tricolore stripes to be repainted for the festival—restoring not only the colors of our heritage, but the spirit of a community that refuses to be erased.

What was once removed in silence was brought back through unity, pride, and persistence.