Pulse Memorial’s Rainbow Crosswalk Removed Overnight In Orlando, Florida

A rainbow crosswalk successful Orlando, Florida, that was portion of nan city’s Pulse Memorial was painted complete by nan authorities precocious Wednesday night.

The memorial honored nan 49 group fatally changeable by a gunman astatine nan Pulse LGBTQ nightclub successful 2016, successful what was nan largest wide shooting successful nan state astatine nan time.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer criticized nan removal of nan crosswalk successful a societal media station connected Thursday, calling it a “cruel governmental act.”

“We are devastated to study that overnight nan authorities painted complete nan Pulse Memorial crosswalk connected Orange Avenue,” he wrote. “This crosswalk not only enhanced information and visibility for nan ample number of pedestrians visiting nan memorial, it besides served arsenic a ocular reminder of Orlando’s committedness to grant nan 49 lives taken.”

Dyer added that nan crosswalk adheres to information standards and was really installed by nan state. It was created successful 2017.

Brandon Wolf, 1 of nan Pulse shooting’s surviving victims, said nan removal was a desecration of nan deceased victims’ memories.

“In nan acheronian of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity, our declaration that we will ne'er forget,” Wolf wrote connected X. “The cowards who consciousness threatened by our lives should consciousness fortunate they didn’t person to hide nan ones they emotion — past watch nan authorities travel & desecrate their memory.”

Requests for remark sent to nan Florida Department of Transportation and nan agency of Gov. Ron DeSantis were not instantly responded.

The crosswalk’s removal follows a directive past period from President Donald Trump’s proscription secretary, Sean Duffy. On July 1, Duffy sent a missive to each 50 states, on pinch Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, astir roadway information that stressed “consistent” roadway markings that are “free from distractions.” In a social media station that aforesaid day, Duffy shared nan missive on pinch a connection taking nonstop purpose astatine rainbow crosswalks, which are typically intended to symbolize LGBTQ Pride.

“Taxpayers expect their dollars to money safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks,” he wrote. “Political banners person nary spot connected nationalist roads. I’m reminding recipients of @USDOT roadway backing that it’s constricted to features advancing safety, and thing else. It’s that simple.”