FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Dozens of supporters gathered Saturday along Fort Lauderdale Beach to protest a state order requiring the removal of rainbow-painted crosswalks, saying the decision unfairly targets the LGBTQ+ community.
The Florida Department of Transportation, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, has directed cities to eliminate decorative crosswalks and other painted street art by early next month.
State officials say the measure is intended to reduce distractions for drivers.
But in Fort Lauderdale, where rainbow crosswalks have become a symbol of inclusion, residents and advocates say the order is an attack on their identity. Demonstrators waved pride flags and held signs reading “Our Streets, Our Pride” as they stood on the colorful intersections Saturday.
“This is just an erasure of our community step. It is the first step in the authoritarian playbook to get rid of the LGBTQ+ community and we won’t stand for it,“ said Karen Matroni, a protestor from West Boca.
Another demonstrator, Hillary Dougherty, echoed the sentiment. “We fought for these crosswalks as a way to show visibility and acceptance,” she said. “Taking them away is discrimination, plain and simple.”
Alfredo Olvera, president of the Dolphin Democrats, a South Florida LGBTQ+ political group, said the state’s justification doesn’t add up.
“There have been studies that say there have been less accidents at this crosswalk,” Olvera said. “Right now this isn’t a crosswalk, this is a city street and this is in the middle of the street so in my opinion it’s just a BS excuse.”
The rainbow crosswalks were installed by the city with the goal of honoring marginalized groups and fostering a sense of community pride.
Similar crosswalks can be found in Miami Beach, Orlando and other cities across the state. Many of those installations also face removal under the new directive.
Fort Lauderdale officials have vowed to fight the order in court. City leaders say the crosswalks meet all safety standards and that removing them would strip neighborhoods of a source of unity and representation.
Saturday’s protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations in South Florida since the state’s directive was announced.
Participants said they planned to continue pressuring state leaders and supporting the city’s legal challenge.
“This is about more than paint on the street,” Dougherty said. “It’s about whether our communities are allowed to be seen.”
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