Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ latest move in his effort to remove Pride visibility from public spaces saw rainbow crosswalks in Key West and Delray Beach erased by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The small six-foot crossing at the intersection of Duval and Petronia streets in Key West was painted over in the middle of the night before municipal officials could act, similar tactics were used at a rainbow crosswalk in Delray Beach near Fort Lauderdale on the same night.
The Florida Department of Transportation carried out the erasure in the early hours, prompting accusations that the state is erasing LGBTQ+ visibility from public spaces. DeSantis dismissed local reactions, calling the colourful crossings "virtue signalling" by cities like Key West.
The crackdown forms part of a broader campaign to eliminate "non-standard" surface art that state officials argue may distract drivers—though critics say the removal of rainbow crosswalks is politically motivated.
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