Following a protest at a crosswalk memorializing the Pulse nightclub shooting victims, a Florida judge dismissed the case against a man arrested for defacing a traffic device. The arrest occurred after the individual used chalk to create footprints on the crosswalk, which has become a point of contention amid political tensions. The crosswalk has been targeted by the Florida Department of Transportation, which is controlled by Governor Ron DeSantis, who has painted over the rainbow-colored memorial, citing new regulations banning “non-standard surface markings.” The man’s attorney stated the arrest was the first of its kind in this political fight against the LGBTQ community.
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Florida officials, following instructions from the Trump administration, have paved over a rainbow crosswalk in Orlando that served as a memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. This action, which occurred overnight and without prior notice, has been condemned by local officials and LGBT+ advocates as a “cruel political act.” The crosswalk’s removal is seen as part of a broader pattern of attacks on the LGBT+ community in the state. Civil rights groups argue that the removal constitutes a dangerous escalation of efforts to erase LGBT+ visibility and censor their history.
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A rainbow crosswalk memorializing the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, was painted over by the Florida Department of Transportation on August 21. This action was taken under the direction of the Trump administration’s “SAFE ROADS Initiative,” which aimed to eliminate road distractions, according to a letter from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer criticized the move as a “cruel political act,” particularly since the crosswalk, installed in coordination with the state, adhered to safety standards and served as a memorial. Despite the erasure, community members quickly restored the rainbow colors with chalk, demonstrating their commitment to honoring the lives lost in the 2016 tragedy.
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Following the removal of a rainbow crosswalk at the Pulse Memorial site in Orlando, Florida, local residents have taken matters into their own hands. In a direct challenge to Governor Ron DeSantis’ actions, community members were captured on video repainting the crosswalk themselves. The original crosswalk, designed to honor the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, was removed overnight, prompting outrage. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer expressed his devastation at the removal, calling it a “cruel political act.”
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John Q. Hosedrinker