ORLANDO, Fla. – A rainbow-painted crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub memorial was removed overnight, following a recent directive from the Trump administration, according to News4JAX sister station WKMG.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to all 50 governors urging them to keep intersections free of political messages, artwork and any markings not directly tied to pedestrian or driver safety.
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“Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks,” Duffy said in a public statement posted to social media. “Political banners have no place on public roads.”
The crosswalk, located along Orange Avenue at the site of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, was installed in 2017 as a tribute to the 49 lives lost and to symbolize inclusion and LGBTQ pride.
“There is no reason that they should have removed it. They are making a political statement,” Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan told News 6.
It was also a featured element in the design of the future permanent Pulse memorial, which recently received $400,000 in state funding.
“I don’t think it’s distracting at all,” one Orlando resident said. “It’s good there’s a memorial for the 49 victims. I think it serves a purpose.”
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said it was the Florida Department of Transportation that painted over the crosswalk.
WKMG reached out to FDOT to confirm and they are waiting to hear back.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City of Orlando also released a statement about the removal:
“We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue. 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 data, or discussion is a cruel political act.
The City of Orlando’s 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.
This crosswalk not only enhanced safety and visibility for the large number of pedestrians visiting the memorial, it also served as a visual reminder of Orlando’s commitment to honor the 49 lives taken on June 12, 2016.
While the state works to erase the memory of the victims of the Pulse tragedy by painting over the crosswalk, our community’s commitment to honoring the 49, and completing the memorial, will never waver."
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
After learning about the removal of the rainbow crosswalk in Orlando, News4JAX went to the 5 Points area on Thursday morning to verify whether our local rainbow crosswalk had been removed. Our crew confirmed the rainbow crosswalk remains as it was painted in August 2024.