Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faced criticism from Democrats nationwide after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) restored a crosswalk near Orlando’s Pulse nightclub to its standard design, removing the rainbow colors that had been painted to honor the 2016 mass shooting victims.
The move sparked outrage among some local officials and activists, who argued that the decision disrespected the memory of the 49 people killed in the tragedy.
State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D), representing much of Orlando, condemned the change in a video from the site.
“FDOT illegally vandalized + ripped the rainbow colors off of Orlando’s city crosswalk in the middle of the night outside Pulse nightclub,” Smith wrote on X. “This crosswalk was painted to honor the lives of 49 angels murdered here, AND to keep pedestrians here safe.”
“A disgusting act of betrayal.”
Similarly, Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan called the action a political statement tied to DeSantis’ and Trump’s agendas.
DeSantis, however, defended the decision, emphasizing that state roads should not be commandeered for political purposes.
The governor’s office and FDOT cited safety and regulatory concerns as the primary reason for the change.
The department recently updated the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)