A rainbow-painted crosswalk near the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, created in 2017 to honor the 49 victims of the 2016 mass shooting, was painted over late Wednesday as part of Florida’s directive to remove “political banners” from public roads. The nightclub site, purchased by Orlando in 2023, is slated for demolition and replacement with a permanent memorial.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the removal, saying state roads cannot be used for political purposes. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed that message, calling rainbow crosswalks “surface art” that distracts from traffic safety. The Florida Department of Transportation said the move followed a statewide review of non-compliant markings.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer condemned the decision as “a cruel political act,” while survivors and LGBTQ advocates called it an erasure of memory. Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor, said, “In the dark of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity.” Equality Florida urged Floridians to respond with rainbow displays and social media visibility under #ShowYourRainbow.
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