Florida cracks down on LGBTQ+ Pride displays: What to know
The city of Delray Beach said the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) removed the Delray Beach Pride Intersection before dawn Tuesday.
Why It Matters
FDOT is calling for the removal of rainbow-colored LGBTQ+ Pride crosswalks in multiple cities following a mandate outlawing pavement art installations, according to Axios.
City of Delray Beach
A memorandum dated June 30 says FDOT can withhold state funds for failing to remove noncompliant traffic control devices or pavement markings, including “pavement surface art associated with social, political, or ideological messages.”
FDOT officials sent memos to the cities of Key West and Delray Beach demanding they paint over their rainbow-colored crosswalks by September 3, Axios reported.
Among the first displays painted over by the state last month was a rainbow crosswalk created in Orlando as part of a memorial for the 49 people fatally shot at the Pulse LGBTQ+ nightclub in 2016.
Newsweek reached out to FDOT for comment.
What To Know
The city of Delray Beach said it received an order directing the city to remove the pavement art less than 12 hours before it disappeared.
“This immediate action by FDOT did not allow the city commission the opportunity to review the order as an elected government body and decide how to move forward,” the city wrote in a news release. The city called the intersection a “symbol of inclusion.”
Attorneys for Delray Beach also recently filed a motion to disqualify the presiding officer in the ongoing legal battle, arguing she “is not in a position to make an impartial and unbiased final agency determination,” according to the document obtained by CBS12 News.
What People Are Saying
City of Delray Beach, in a news release: “By acting outside of its process, FDOT disregarded the City’s good-faith efforts to follow established procedures. While FDOT’s action cannot be undone, Delray Beach remains steadfast in its commitment to unity, respect, and the fundamental human rights that belong to every member of our community.”
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, in an August X post: “We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes.”
FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue, in a July X post: “Florida’s proactive efforts to ensure we keep our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies were cemented into law by @GovRonDeSantis on June 19 w/ the signing of Senate Bill 1662 & reemphasized in FDOT’s attached memo. Great to now have our federal partners also aligned behind this same common-sense policy.”
What Happens Next
Delray Beach is holding an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the state’s actions, WPTV reported.
Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
