Florida Paints Over Orlando Pulse Memorial Rainbow Crosswalk

The rainbow crosswalk at the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando, honoring the 49 victims of the 2016 mass shooting, was painted over overnight by the Florida Department of Transportation following a directive from the Trump administration aimed at standardizing roadway markings. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer condemned the removal as a "cruel political act" done without supporting safety data or discussion, emphasizing the crosswalk's role in pedestrian safety and as a visual tribute to the victims. U.S. Rep. Anna Eskamani and Florida Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith also criticized the action, calling it a hostile act and an erasure of community solidarity. Survivor Brandon Wolf described the removal as a desecration of the victims' memories. The move comes despite Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently approving funds for a permanent Pulse memorial, highlighting tensions between state actions and local community efforts to honor the tragedy. The Florida Department of Transportation and Governor DeSantis's office have not yet commented on the removal.