In August of this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the removal of about 400 “non-standard” pieces of street art — most of them rainbow, Pride-themed crosswalks and murals — even though they all received state approval when they were installed.
This began when the DeSantis administration painted over a rainbow-colored crosswalk outside of what used to be Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting.
In response, community members repainted the tribute themselves, and many other municipalities attempted to stand their ground and resist the removal of colorful crosswalks and other street installations.
But still, some complied, as the Florida Department of Transportation threatened to withhold state funding for road projects, which could lead to larger financial impacts for communities.
The city of St. Petersburg, for example, publicly shared its disapproval of the removal of its many artistic road-level installations, including a number of Pride-colored murals, and one that read “Black History Matters.”
Despite protests in the area, St. Pete still complied with the DeSantis mandate, promising that it was not a reflection of the city’s commitment to inclusion. (Earlier this year, St. Petersburg was given a perfect score on the 2025 Human Rights Campaign's annual Municipal Equality Index. This is the only nationwide assessment of LGBTQ+ inclusion in municipal law, policy, and services.)
“These murals are more than art — they reflect the soul of our community. That message can't be erased. This is our city, our voice, and our story,” the city shared in a social media post before the murals and crosswalks were removed, urging community members to take photos and share them on social media with the hashtag #CantEraseStPete.
“Together, we’ll continue building a community that is resilient, inclusive, and united.”
Some cities, like Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Orlando, Miami Beach, and West Palm Beach, voted to defy the ban and are challenging the mandate through legal action and ongoing protests.
But St. Pete is still showing up in creative ways for the LGBTQ+ community.
Earlier this week, the city debuted a series of rainbow-colored bike racks in place of a former Pride crosswalk.
“We’ve just installed 11 Pride-inspired bike racks along Central Ave. and 25th St. — a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements,” a social media post from the city shared.
“These racks were funded through the City’s long-standing public bike rack program.”
In a video, workers in visibility vests are seen securing bike racks into the ground, in colors resembling the order of stripes on the Progress Pride Flag.
Comments flooded in from community members cheering on the new bike racks.
“That’s why I love St. Pete,” one person wrote.
“This is clever,” another added. “Proud of my city!”
Just one example of the strategic efforts to fight back against LGBTQ+ erasure, these bike racks are a signal of resistance, reminiscent of a statement shared by Equality Florida just after the mandate was announced earlier this year.
“DeSantis may paint over rainbows and art, but people are answering with defiance, chalking sidewalks, raising flags, covering cars with stickers, and businesses painting their parking lots with rainbows. These acts declare we are not intimidated and we will not be erased,” Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith said in a statement.
“This isn’t about safety. It’s a cowardly abuse of power and the latest in his campaign to ban books, whitewash history, and attack LGBTQ people. Cities must push back to protect the values that make them welcoming places to live, work, and visit.”
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Header image courtesy of Grand Central District/City of St. Petersburg
