Fort Lauderdale Still Fighting Removal of Rainbow Crosswalks
The legal battle between Fort Lauderdale and state officials over a recent crackdown on street art may conclude in May, when both parties may have a one-day final hearing. The crackdown began in August 2025 under Governor Ron DeSantis, with roughly 100 public artworks across Florida slated for removal under his Safe Streets program in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The directive reportedly stems from an FDOT memo prohibiting painted pavement featuring “social, political or ideological messages”—itself issued following guidance from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who said last July that “roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork.” Cities that oppose the removal risk losing millions of dollars in state and federal transportation funding. Related Articles Critics of the program have framed it as a veiled attempt to scrub LGBTQ history from public view, as the majority of artworks deemed in violation of the directive are overwhelmingly Pride-themed. Approximately nine Florida cities launched legal challenges in response, largely to no avail; in August, Orlando’s rainbow crosswalk honoring the 49 victims …




