ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) – A rainbow crossing that was part of Florida’s Pulse Memorial Site has been removed overnight, according to NBC affiliate WESH.
The news station reported that the crosswalk on the south side of Westester Pulse Nightclub was originally painted in 2017. It was painted on Thursday morning.
Last month, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy wrote a new safety initiative to all 50 governors.
“Taxpayers hope that the dollar will fund a safe street, not a rainbow crossing,” he wrote to X.
He went on to say that intersections and crosswalks need to be freed from distractions and political messages.
In a social media post, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has been dubbed the removal of crosswalk and “cruel political acts.” He released the following statement to Wesh:
The mayor said in a statement. “It’s devastated to learn that the nation is depicted on the Pulse Memorial Crosswalk on Orange Avenue.
All Orlando City safety crosswalks have been set up in close cooperation with the state and are in compliance with national safety standards. In fact, the crosswalk, which is part of the Pulse Memorial, was set up by the state.
The crosswalk not only improved the safety and visibility of the numerous pedestrians visiting the monument, but also served as a visual reminder of Orlando’s commitment to honoring the lives of 49 people, photographed on June 12, 2016.
The nation works to erase the memory of the victims of pulse by painting on crosswalks, but the community’s commitment to honor 49 and complete the monument never wavers.
