Ron DeSantis forced this city to remove Pride crosswalks. So it put up Pride bike racks instead. The state of Florida has become the epicenter of Republicans’ rainbow crosswalk crackdown. But folks across the state have been finding ways to fight back.
Source: southpawFA
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>The City of St. Petersburg, Florida, has unveiled 11 Pride-themed bike racks to replace the rainbow crosswalks Gov. [Ron DeSantis](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/03/who-is-ron-desantis-where-does-he-stand-on-lgbtq-rights/) (R) forced officials to remove.
>“Pride on the streets!” declared a social media post from the city and its mayor, Ken Welch (D), who called the bike racks “a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements.”
>The DeSantis administration has been [aggressive](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/09/man-arrested-for-crossing-the-street-with-chalk-on-his-shoes-in-ron-desantis-florida/) about ensuring the crosswalks [are erased](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/09/ron-desantis-erases-rainbow-crosswalk-in-gay-key-west-in-of-night/), despite [protests](https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/09/protestors-across-florida-rally-against-rainbow-crosswalk-removals-we-will-not-be-erased/) and resistance from local leaders.
>St. Petersburg officials ultimately complied with the order to remove its crosswalks upon the threat of losing state funding, but Mayor Welch made it clear in August that he would not stand down from defending progressive values.
>In a press conference, Welch called the order to remove the crosswalks an attempt by the state “to usurp local values and priorities and instead mandate what our values should be.”
>“We’ve seen the attempts to stifle our ability to express and celebrate our community values,” he added. “Yet time and time again, our community has risen to the occasion. And this latest challenge will be no exception.”
I’m sure Ron DeSatan will force Florida to follow a “Don’t Bike Gay” bill, where he’ll declare bikes as part of the “gay agenda”.
Republicans do like talking about sex a lot don’t they.
It’s always culture war distraction bullshit. Never any policy that actually benefits everyday people.
We had a bike path in gulf breeze that I helped with. It was a color called “bike path green” until fdot came around and said “miss us with that gay shit” and made them change it to black. This is from the party that complains about inefficiencies in government 🙄
There is a video of a dude approaching a pride flag painted staircase. Instead of using the steps, he pulled himself up the handrail in the middle. Seen other video of assholes doing donuts over them to try to damage them.
I thought those were the dumbest reactions to the pride flag until DeSantis went after these sidewalks. Getting triggered by the rainbow flag is pretty ridiculous. Walking up those steps wouldn’t have made that dude gay anymore than walking across a rainbow crosswalk.
They go to such efforts to destroy something that is causing no problems just to advertise their cruelty.
Key West has already done this as well.
Love it, keep at it Floridians, don’t let the fascists win.
Imagine being so weak that color on a crosswalk is an issue for you. This timeline is so embarrassing.
This just in, Ron DeSantis has banned real rainbows from appearing in the sky, saying nature has gotten too woke
What a waste of fucking time continuing to go after the LGBTQIA+ community.
They’re not fucking going anywhere. You hear that, republicans?
They will outlive your shitty, fascist political “party.” And they’ll outlive your hate.
So, kindly go fuck yourselves, okay sweeties? 😁
Thank you to all keep up the fight!!
🌈🏳️⚧️🌈🏳️⚧️🌈🏳️⚧️🌈🏳️⚧️
Make a fountain that is angled in such a way as to generate a rainbow from the sun’s light. If DeSantis tries to force the city to take it down, argue that the city didn’t install the rainbow and he’s trying to defy God’s will.
There are people going hungry in our country and he’s worried about rainbows..
How fragile must one be to fear a rainbow?
Governor DeSantis has a strange obsession with gay people. Hmm.🤔
“Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements.”
What state requirements?
This is an excellent opportunity for gorilla rainbow crosswalk paintings. This is exactly the sort of petty BS that makes me happy living in California.