Florida rainbow crosswalk dispute intensifies as police deployed ahead of deadline
"We will not be erased and our community is fighting back," says Orlando State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith as protestors repaint the Pulse Nightclub memorial crosswalk
By Aaron Sugg
As Florida’s deadline to remove all rainbow crosswalks approaches, tensions are rising. At the Pulse Nightclub memorial in Orlando, police now watch over as rainbow stripes have been erased and restored repeatedly.
The Trump administration sent state officials to paint over the crosswalk last week. It was covered overnight without any prior warning prompting immediate backlash from the community.
The following day State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith went to the scene where residents held protests and restored the rainbow colours with chalk.
“We will not be erased” – Carlos Guillermo Smith on the repainting of the Pulse Nightclub memorial
Taking to social media after witnessing the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, the state senator said: “We will not be erased and our community is fighting back.”
The escalating dispute prompted the state to deploy up to six police vehicles at the Pulse memorial to prevent rainbow colours from being reapplied.
“Having the police watch over us is unsettling,” one visitor told local outlet WESH. “It’s a sign of the times and sadly becoming the new normal.”
“You have potholes to fix, real crime to go after” – Anna Vishkaee Eskamani to the Orlando police
Anna Vishkaee Eskamani, a member of the Florida House of Representatives and a 2027 Orlando mayoral candidate, told the publication: “It’s sad that we’re in a position where state resources are being used to enforce colours on the road. You have potholes to fix, real crime to go after.”
The push to remove rainbow crosswalks, led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, has communities like Miami Beach rushing to comply before the 4 September deadline, with some exploring legal appeals.
“Where does it end?” – Mayor of Fort Lauderdale Dean Trantalis on the rainbow crosswalk dispute
In Fort Lauderdale, city leaders are standing firm against the state’s demands to remove four street art designs, including a rainbow Pride flag painted near the beach.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Mayor Dean Trantalis said: “You have to ask, where does it end? Tonight we must stand our ground.
“We cannot be bullied into submission and allow others to dictate what happens in our community.”
Survivors of the Pulse shooting noted that more officers are now monitoring the crosswalk than were on duty the night of the attack.
In letters from the Florida Department of Transportation, it stated: “The Florida Department of Transportation will remove them by any appropriate method necessary without further notice.”