Editor’s Note: Floridians continue to fight back against DeSantis’ order to black out all street art in the state, citing non-existent ‘safety concerns’. As LCI pointed out last week in our DAILY ACTION, this is another blatant attempt by Desantis to stoke hatred against the LGBTQ community, as part of the culture war that seeks to black out any expression or speech that the governor personally does not like. This is not freedom, it is FASCISM and the people are not letting this issue go. Here is a round-up of the current headlines from the ‘chalk wars’, along with a photo I took of the vandalism committed by the FDOT showing up in the middle of the night to sloppily black over the “Fluid Structures” mural painted by students (with permission from the Florida DOT, LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE STREET MURALS BEING REMOVED….) from the Graphics Design program in 2023.
Four people arrested after restoring Pulse memorial crossing’s rainbow colours
Orestes Sebastian Suarez, 29, was arrested on Friday (29 August) and charged with criminal mischief and interfering with a traffic control device. A judge ordered his release the following morning after finding no probable cause for the arrest, according to Central Florida Public Media.
Maryjane East, 25, Donavon Short, 26, and 39-year-old Zane Aparicio were also arrested on suspicion of defacing a traffic device, according to The Orlando Sentinel. All three have now been released without being charged.
Amid a Wave of Mass Shootings, Florida Cracks Down on Chalk
As the nation reels from last week’s horrific school shooting in Minnesota, authorities in Florida seem to be doing everything in their power to re-traumatize a community victimized by a different mass attack. That now includes arresting one protester, apparently for leaving temporary chalk footprints in a crosswalk that has become a flashpoint in Republican efforts to expunge pro-LGBTQ messaging from the public square.
Makeshift ‘Black History Matters’ street mural reappears in St. Pete
The words “Black History Matters” now stretch across 9th Avenue, outside the Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
Painted in large white letters on the roadway, the makeshift mural showed up days after a mural that had been in place for years was painted over last Friday.
“Resistance is where we are in the current climate and those who are resisting. I find no fault with it,” said Terry Lipsy Scott, executive director of the Woodson Museum.
She said she has no idea who repainted the mural.
Delray Beach mayor: Rainbow-colored Pride crosswalk stays until we hear from the judge
Despite the state’s order that the rainbow-painted Pride art at a city intersection be removed by Wednesday, Sept. 3, a judge has granted city officials a reprieve, giving them until Friday, Sept. 5, to bolster their argument that it should stay.
Following a unanimous vote by commissioners, Miami Beach’s city manager sent a letter requesting an administrative hearing to contest a mandate ordered by the Florida Department of Transportation to remove its Pride crosswalk at 12th Street and Ocean Drive.
“To force us to remove this crosswalk now, under threat and without dialogue, sends an incredibly chilling message to the LGBTQ community,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez.
Project Pride SRQ plans event to honor Pulse victims after ‘PrideWalk’ removal
Project Pride SRQ is planning a “compassion at the crosswalk” event to honor the 49 people who lost their lives during the Pulse shooting. The event, which won’t be scheduled until later this month, will be held where the “PrideWalk” sat before it was removed on Aug. 28.
Demonstrations held in Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors supporting rainbow crosswalks
Despite a looming thunderstorm, a large crowd formed in Wilton Manors on the Wilton Bridge in response to the state’s recent order to remove painted crosswalks. It was the second of two demonstrations Monday evening with a simple message: they will not erase us. An even larger group formed in Wilton Manors on the Wilton rainbow bridge Monday night for an additional demonstration against the state’s mandate. Fort Lauderdale’s City Commission and mayor are set to meet in a special session Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss how the city will handle the state’s order.