Orlando residents have resisted Gov. Ron DeSantis and state officials' policy by repainting a rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub memorial, just hours after it was removed under a federal directive backed by President Donald Trump's administration, Newsweek reported.
Community members and LGBTQ+ advocates gathered at the site of the 2016 mass shooting, where 49 people were killed, to recreate the crosswalk in chalk and paint after crews stripped away the rainbow colors overnight. The removal was carried out following a directive from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who instructed governors last month to eliminate decorative crosswalks and other "distractions" on public roads.
"While this attack was meant to demoralize us and push us back in the closet, Orlando refused to be erased," Democratic state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith told Newsweek. Smith, who became the first openly gay Latino elected to the Florida legislature in 2016, called the governor's actions a "cowardly abuse of power."
The Pulse nightclub shooting remains the deadliest act of violence against LGBTQ+ people in U.S. history. Since 2017, the rainbow crosswalk has served as both a memorial symbol and a pedestrian safety measure near the site.
The state-ordered removal drew swift backlash from city leaders and survivors of the tragedy. "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," Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer posted on X.
Smith accused officials of acting under the cover of darkness. "Of course they did this in the middle of the night ... because they knew what they were doing is wrong," he said in a video posted to social media.
DeSantis defended the move, saying, "We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes." Duffy echoed that position, writing on X: "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks."
Despite those remarks, Orlando residents quickly moved to restore the symbol. Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse attack, joined others in recoloring the crosswalk. "I love you, Orlando," Wolf posted on social media after the community effort.
GLAAD, a national LGBTQ+ advocacy group, praised the local response. "Orlando community members continue to show up for each other, in grief, outrage, and love. LGBTQ people and our history will never be erased, and the lives taken at Pulse will never be forgotten," the group said in a statement to Newsweek.
The Trump administration has pursued broader restrictions on LGBTQ+ symbols and policies since the president returned to office. The State Department reimposed a "one flag policy" barring pride and Black Lives Matter flags at embassies, and federal agencies have rolled back protections for transgender Americans.
Dyer emphasized that Orlando's crosswalks, including the Pulse memorial crossing, had been approved by the state and met safety standards. "This crosswalk not only enhanced safety and visibility for the large number of pedestrians visiting the memorial, it also served as a visual reminder of Orlando's commitment to honor the 49 lives taken on June 12, 2016," he said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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