Florida\u2019s Department of Transportation has painted over the rainbow crosswalk in Orlando, which was constructed to honour the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.<\/p>\n
The removal, carried out overnight without warning, has been widely condemned by Orlando officials as unnecessary and offensive. Many have described it as part of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration\u2019s broader attack on the LGBTQIA+ community.<\/p>\n
Buddy Dyer, Orlando Mayor, said he was \u201cdevastated\u201d by the decision.<\/p>\n
In a statement, he wrote<\/a>: \u201cThis callous action of hastily removing part of a memorial to what was at the time our nation\u2019s largest mass shooting, without any supporting safety data or discussion, is a cruel political act.<\/p>\n \u201cThe City of Orlando\u2019s safety crosswalks were all installed in close coordination with the state and adhere to national safety standards. In fact, the crosswalk that is part of the Pulse Memorial was installed by the state.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer said the crosswalk \u201cnot only enhanced safety and visibility for the large number of pedestrians visiting the memorial,\u201d but also served as a visual reminder of Orlando\u2019s commitment to honor the 49 lives taken.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the state works to erase the memory of the victims of the Pulse tragedy by painting over the crosswalk,\u201d he continued, \u201cour community\u2019s commitment to honoring the 49, and completing the memorial, will never waver.\u201d<\/p>\n A total of 49 people were killed and 53 were injured in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, making it the deadliest incident in the history of violence against LGBTQIA+ people in the country<\/a>.<\/p>\n We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue. But we know that while this crosswalk has been removed, Orlando's commitment to honoring the 49 can never be erased. pic.twitter.com\/4LdXvLUiom<\/a><\/p>\n — Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) August 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n