MIAMI (AP) – The rainbow crossing, intended to celebrate the history and contributions of Miami Beach’s LGBTQ+ community, was removed from the city’s iconic Ocean Drive Entertainment District about two months after Florida officials ordered the removal of all street art throughout the state.
Workers with the Florida Department of Transport began tearing the colorful pavement Sunday afternoon just two days after learning that Miami Beach officials had lost their appeal against the state order. By Monday, the intersection was paved with asphalt.
Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez said city public works employees have collected all deleted pavement stones for reuse in the future.
“This represents decades of people who endured housing discrimination, banishment from the military, discrimination in the workplace, stigma of HIV and AIDS, the battle for equal marriage, all the hard-working battles that have now become unaltered,” Fernandez said.
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Miami Beach Crosswalk is a place to see for multiple tourist guides – was designed by Savino & Miller Design Studio and installed in 2018. This featured the city’s multi-colored Terrazzo Pavers arranged in Art Deco patterns, with almost a century of history.
Fernandez said the crosswalk was designed according to federal guidelines and is one of the safest intersections in the region and has a half-crash as the closest intersection to the south since 2018.
The Department of Transport under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the community to remove crosswalks and other street art by early last month, threatening to withhold funds for state transport for violations.
Critics say it is the latest attack on the LGBTQ+ community by the DeSantis administration and Republican-controlled Congress, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and Florida measures.
Desantis previously explained the rationale for the administration. “I think street art is out of hand. I think it would be much better to use crosswalks and streets for the intended purpose.”
Not all street murals were tapped for removal. It pays homage to historically marginalized groups. A “blue” mural was painted outside the Tampa Police Department headquarters.
The first intersection had rainbow colors honoring the victims of the 2016 massacre outside the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, where 49 people died. The work crew drew it in the middle of August, angering members of the community who had recovered the rainbow colour.
