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Orlando, FL - Orlando officials are responding after a rainbow-colored crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub memorial was painted over by state workers.
The crosswalk, installed in 2017, served as a visual tribute to the 49 people killed in the 2016 mass shooting and as a safety feature for pedestrians visiting the site.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer described the removal as “callous” and emphasized that the crosswalk symbolized the city’s commitment to honoring the victims.
The Pulse shooting occurred on June 12, 2016, during a Latin night celebration.
The suspect, Omar Mateen, allegedly carried out the attack and was killed by police after a standoff, resulting in 49 deaths and 53 injuries.
State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democrat from Orlando, said the overnight removal was intended to avoid public resistance.
Residents visited the site after the removal, waving rainbow flags and using chalk to recreate the colors, though rain washed away the temporary markings.
The Florida Department of Transportation issued a memo in June prohibiting “surface art” on roads, sidewalks, intersections, travel lanes, or shoulders if it conveys “social, political or ideological messages” and does not serve traffic control purposes.
Cities including Delray Beach, Key West, and St. Petersburg were also notified about removing similar rainbow crosswalks.
FDOT officials did not provide additional comment, and Governor Ron DeSantis stated that state roads cannot be used for political purposes.
Smith said the LGBTQ community plans to create a larger, permanent rainbow mural near the memorial to maintain visibility and honor the lives lost at Pulse.