State Removal of Pulse Memorial Crosswalk for 49 Victims Sparks Outcry in Orlando

Orlando, FL – Florida state officials have removed the rainbow crosswalk near the Pulse nightclub memorial site on Thursday, August 22, 2025, sparking immediate condemnation from local leaders and LGBTQ+ advocates. The crosswalk, installed in 2017, served as a vibrant tribute to the 49 lives lost in the 2016 mass shooting at the LGBTQ-friendly venue.

The removal follows recent directives from the Florida Department of Transportation and the US Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, prohibiting "asphalt art" or pavement markings associated with "social, political, or ideological messages." Secretary Duffy stated, "Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks," in a July 1 X post.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer decried the action as a "cruel political act," emphasizing that the crosswalk was designed to enhance pedestrian safety for visitors to the memorial. Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, the first openly LGBTQ+ Latino elected to the state legislature, called the removal a "disgusting act of betrayal" and a "bigoted decision by the state of Florida."

Senator Smith, who posted on social media that "We will NOT be erased," underscored the sentiment shared by many in the LGBTQ+ community. Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan echoed this, stating, "No notification. No due process. So angry. They can’t erase us." Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse massacre, also expressed his dismay, noting, "In the dark of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity."

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Florida's state administration and the LGBTQ+ community, following a legislative session that saw multiple anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced, though many were ultimately defeated. Despite the crosswalk's removal, Mayor Dyer affirmed the city's commitment to honoring the 49 victims, with a permanent memorial slated for completion by the end of 2027.