US EditionOrlando officials denounce removal of rainbow crosswalk near Pulse nightclub mass shooting site
The Florida Department of Transportation removed the memorial crosswalk honoring 49 Pulse shooting victims under a federal directive to eliminate non-standard markings, sparking local protests.
- On August 21, 2025, Florida Department of Transportation workers painted over the Pulse Memorial rainbow crosswalk overnight outside the Pulse nightclub on Orange Avenue without prior city notification.
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's July 1 directive gave governors 60 days to identify safety improvements, while a June FDOT memo from Will Watts banned 'surface art' on crosswalks and warned cities they risk losing state funds if rainbow crossings remain.
- Volunteers and State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith repainted the rainbow stripes with chalk amid protests, reclaiming the memorial erased without safety data or discussion.
- FDOT's letters say it will remove pavement markings by September 3, 2025, if not removed, and multiple Florida cities including Miami Beach must remove rainbow crossings by early next month.
- Observers note Florida leads national culture-war fights, and Brandon Wolf, Pulse survivor, wrote, `In the dark of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity`; Orlando officials plan a permanent memorial.
110 Articles
110 Articles
Florida paints Pulse crosswalk black again after protesters colored it rainbow
The Florida Transportation Department on Sunday once again painted over a rainbow crosswalk in Orlando that was part of the Pulse Memorial after protesters filled it in with multicolored chalk.
Pulse Memorial crosswalk will continue to be colorful
The rainbow crosswalk just outside of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando was painted over by the state of Florida last week. The memorial honored the 49 people who were fatally shot at the Pulse nightclub in 2016. The shooting occurred on the club’s “Latin Night,” targeting a space created by and for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. As Attorney General Loretta Lynch and President Obama acknowledged at the time the spree shooting was motivated by a numbe…
Dems circle the wagons to prevent Florida 'Pride' crosswalk removal · American Wire News
Some Florida residents and leftists are enraged with Florida’s Department of Transportation because it “vandalized” a rainbow-themed crosswalk by painting over it. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was among those outraged by the removal of the rainbow crosswalk outside of the Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were killed in a mass shooting in 2016. Dyer said he was “devastated” by the “cruel political act.” We are devastated to learn that overnight the …
DeSantis defends painting over LGBTQ-themed crosswalk in Orlando despite backlash from local Democrats
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reaffirmed his decision to remove a rainbow-colored crosswalk outside of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando despite outrage from local Democrats and LGBTQ activists.
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