The rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando — which commemorated the 49 victims killed at the LGBTQ+ friendly nightclub in 2016 — was painted over Wednesday by the state, Mayor Buddy Dyer and others revealed Thursday.
“We are devastated to learn that overnight the state painted over the Pulse Memorial crosswalk on Orange Avenue. But we know that while this crosswalk has been removed, Orlando’s commitment to honoring the 49 can never be erased,” Dyer wrote on social media.
In a longer statement, Dyer said, “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 or discussion, is a cruel political act.”
Dyer added that the crosswalk, created in 2017, adheres to safety standards, and was installed by the state.
Florida State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith called painting over the crosswalk “a disgusting act of betrayal” and shared a photo of people coloring over the new paint with chalk.
The Florida Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.
Cody Jackson / AP 
Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor who hid in the bathroom as the gunman opened fire, also posted on social media about the removal of the crosswalk.
“In the dark of night, they came to erase our show of solidarity, our declaration that we will never forget,” Wolf wrote. “The cowards who feel threatened by our lives should feel lucky they didn’t have to bury the ones they love — then watch the state come & desecrate their memory.”
Florida’s transportation agency had been notifying cities around the state in recent months that they must remove rainbow-colored crosswalks and intersections or they could face the withholding of transportation funds. Among the cities notified were Delray Beach and Key West.
Will Watts, an assistant secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation, issued a memo in June prohibiting “surface art” on crosswalks, sidewalks, intersections, travel lanes or shoulders. The memo prohibited “surface art” associated with “social, political or ideological messages or images and does not serve the purpose of traffic control.”
In July, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to all 50 states saying intersections should be “kept free from distractions.” In a social media post, Duffy said, “Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks. Political banners have no place on public roads. I’m reminding recipients of USDOT roadway funding that it’s limited to features advancing safety, and nothing else. It’s that simple.”
The shooting at the nightclub in Orlando occurred on June 12, 2016. A gunman named Omar Mateen opened fire during the club’s popular Latin night, shooting patrons on the dance floor and spraying bullets at others hiding in bathroom stalls. While holding hostages during a standoff with authorities, Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group during a three-hour standoff before being killed in a shootout. In addition to those killed, 53 others were wounded.
In June, survivors and family members of the victims of the Pulse shooting toured the inside of the building for a final look before it’s torn down. City officials plan to build a permanent memorial in its place.
In his social media post, Dyer said the crosswalk “not only enhanced safety and visibility for the large numbers of pedestrians visiting the memorial, it also served as a visual reminder of Orlando’s commitment to honor the 49 lives taken. While this crosswalk has been removed, our community’s commitment to honoring the 49 can never be erased.”
contributed to this report.
