The Brief
- Florida Highway Patrol troopers detained several people Sunday at the Pulse Memorial rainbow crosswalk after they attempted to restore its colors.
- The arrests came after FDOT posted warning signs and repeatedly painted over the crosswalk under new statewide rules banning decorative designs.
- Activists vow to continue resisting the crackdown, while Orlando leaders defend the rainbow tribute as both a memorial and a safety feature.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol placed multiple people in hand restraints Sunday at the Pulse Memorial rainbow crosswalk, where tensions between residents and the state over decorative crosswalks have reached a boiling point.
What we know:
Video from the scene shows several individuals being placed in handcuffs after attempting to recolor the crosswalk, which has been repeatedly painted over by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) under new statewide rules. FDOT crews had installed warning signs near the site reading “Defacing Roadway Prohibited” and “No Impeding Traffic.”
The crosswalk, installed to honor the 49 lives lost in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, has become the center of a heated standoff between residents and state officials. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has defended the rainbow crosswalk as both a safety feature and a memorial, while FDOT has argued that such nonstandard designs pose safety risks.…