The now infamous Department of Transportation policy change calling for the removal of Pride-themed crosswalks has seen pushback from many state and local governments. Here in Florida, Governor DeSantis has been persistent in forcing the removals of five street murals celebrating Pride or other minority groups. The town of Saint Petersburg saw the removal of not just rainbow crosswalks, but also a Black History Matters street mural, a street mural celebrating common ground in the community, and others. St. Pete Mayor Ken Welsh wanted a way to continue to honor the marginalized residents of the area, so the city has installed 11 pride-themed bike racks. In an email to the city council, the Mayor’s chief of staff Jordan Doyle Walsh wrote:
“We were excited that there was consensus around one of the Administration’s proposed actions discussed during the previous (Committee of the Whole) meeting and other forums regarding City and community response. We thank City Council for supporting and collaborating on this effort and we look forward to working with you and the community as we move forward together.”
