Orlando rainbow crossing honouring Pulse nightclub victims is painted over by Florida governing body
State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith says it was painted over "without providing the city of Orlando notice or getting their approval"
By Aaron Sugg
The iconic rainbow zebra crossing in Orlando, Florida has been painted over by the state’s department of transportation (DOT), without issuing any form of announcement.
It honoured the 49 victims of the 2016 gay Pulse nightclub shooting which became the deadliest mass shooting in US history at the time.
“Illegally vandalised city property” – State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith on Pulse nightclub crossing
State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith went to the scene after receiving a call from state commissioner Patty Sheehan. He quickly took to social media to criticise the Florida DOT, claiming they “illegally vandalised city property without providing the city of Orlando notice or getting their approval”.
Florida’s DOT has recently warned cities that rainbow crosswalks could jeopardise transportation funding. In June, they issued a statement giving cities in South Florida are facing deadlines to remove rainbow-painted crosswalks under a new state law.
Officials in Delray Beach and Key West have received warnings from the body. Key West was told its crosswalk must be removed by 3 September, because it is “in violation of FDOT’s traffic control device standards.”
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added to the debate in a legal bill: “Political banners have no place on public roads.”
“A cruel political act” – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer on the rainbow crossing’s removal
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has also spoken out about the vandalism of the Pulse nightclub memorial issuing a statement, which read: “We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue.
“This callous action of hastily removing part of a memorial to what was at the time our nation’s largest mass shooting, without any supporting safety data or discussion, is a cruel political act.”
“There will be a rainbow mural that will be bigger, more queer, and more colourful” – Carlos Guillermo on new mural plans
In response to the anti-LGBTQ+ action, Guillermo Smith led a peaceful protest at the site, where a double rainbow appeared in the sky above Pulse nightclub. “They know what they did wrong,” he told the crowd.
He also vowed on Instagram: “Somewhere nearby, sometime very soon, there will be a rainbow mural that will be bigger, more queer, and more colourful than they ever imagined.”
We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue. But we know that while this crosswalk has been removed, Orlando's commitment to honoring the 49 can never be erased. pic.twitter.com/4LdXvLUiom
— Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) August 21, 2025
Pulse nightclub has yet to comment on the repainting of their LGBTQ+ mural.