‘A Cruel Political Act’ – Officials Condemn Removal Of Rainbow Crosswalk Near Site Of Pulse Nightclub Massacre
Colors of the rainbow stripped from historic LGBTQ+ site in a depraved act of state-sanctioned vandalism.
Featured Image: AFP via Getty Images
On Thursday, Orlando officials stepped up to condemn Florida’s removal of the rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub – an LGBTQ+ landmark and memorial to the 49 people murdered at the popular queer club in 2016. This act of depravity comes two months after the 9th anniversary of the mass shooting, and one week after the Trump Administration and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) boasted plans to paint over “asphalt art,” specifically, rainbow sidewalks.
“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 or discussion, is a cruel political act,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer wrote yesterday on X.
The state had created the crosswalk in 2017, which served not only to honor the victims of a heinous hate crime, but also as a safety measure, bringing brightness and visibility to a crossing that sees a lot of traffic with visitors who come to pay respect. At the time, the installation was seen as a gesture of solidarity between the city and the LGBTQ+ community in the wake of the largest mass shooting in the country.
The Trump Administration has been targeting the queer community since the get-go, attempting to scrub away LGBTQ+ history — from erasing references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website to stripping away slain activist Harvey Milk’s name from a U.S. Navy ship during Pride month. This week’s assault occurs in tandem with the government’s quest to censor artistic expression from marginalized communities, from the highest-level museums to the streets.
On July 1, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy gave states 60 days to study crosswalks at intersections. “Roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork. Today I am calling on governors in every state to ensure that roadways, intersections, and crosswalks are kept free of distractions,” he wrote in a statement. The Florida State Department of Transportation responded similarly, targeting “pavement surface art that is associated with social, political, or ideological messages or images”.
Social media is on fire with concern for those still mourning loved ones. There is talk of rechalking the pavement, even while knowing that the hate runs deeper than the concrete. This act of destruction will not be taken lightly by a community that knows a thing or two about resilience — and fighting back.
As Harvey Milk said: “We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets.”
