A Defiant Act in Response to a Symbol’s Erasure
More than a hundred LGBTQ+ activists and allies rallied together in Orlando this past Friday to restore a rainbow-colored crosswalk in chalk outside the former Pulse nightclub. Their vibrant gesture came in direct response to the recent removal of the original markings by city authorities—a decision that sparked strong backlash across the community. The rainbow crosswalk had served as a spontaneous tribute to the 49 lives lost in the tragic 2016 hate-fueled attack.
Federal Policy Fueling Controversy
The crosswalk’s removal was carried out under orders from the City of Orlando in alignment with a directive from the Trump administration. This policy bans the use of public roadways for what it labels “political messaging.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis supported the move, stating, “Public roads in our state will not be utilized for political expression.” His comments quickly drew widespread condemnation.
Local and Political Backlash
Orlando’s Democratic mayor, Buddy Dyer, denounced the action as a “cruel political move” that deeply wounded the local community. In defiance, demonstrators gathered as early as dawn to re-create the symbol of inclusivity and remembrance with chalk.
Among the demonstrators was Democratic State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, who posted photos on X (formerly Twitter) with the resonant message:
“We will NOT be erased.”
He later added,
“The DeSantis regime may have scrubbed the Pulse rainbow crosswalk, but we won’t disappear. If the state keeps pushing, a bigger, brighter, queerer mural will rise—beyond anything they ever imagined.”
Reactions from Survivors and Activists
Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse massacre and a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, also responded with outrage. He publicly criticized Governor DeSantis, calling him a “coward” and stating:
“A memorial for my murdered friends is not political. But your cowardly, overnight removal is.”
Wolf went further, condemning Republican officials for “defiling a memorial to the 49 Pulse victims while demanding monuments that honor Confederate traitors.”
Selective Memory and Political Contradictions
The backlash surfaces amid wider criticism of past initiatives by the Trump administration, including controversial plans to rename military bases in honor of Confederate soldiers who supported slavery.
Wolf also highlighted a glaring contradiction in Ron DeSantis’ stance. While DeSantis claimed that the rainbow crosswalk violated political neutrality on public roads, he himself had signed a 2023 law renaming a Florida highway after conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.
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