Miami Beach Protest Against Crosswalk Removal

On Sunday, a rally took place in Miami Beach, organized by left-wing activists who protested the removal of the city’s rainbow-painted sidewalks. Participants waved flags and chanted, “Miami Beach, forever proud.”

Just days after the city’s unsuccessful appeal to keep the design, state contractors began tearing down the crosswalk. By Monday, the colorful pavement had been replaced with standard asphalt, as reported.

The Florida Department of Transportation had mandated the removal in June, cautioning local authorities that displaying “social, political or ideological messages or images” on public roads could lead to a loss of state funding.

Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez expressed surprise at the sudden action: “All of a sudden, these FDOT trucks, armies of workers, heavy equipment showed up. Our city had no notice.”

He emphasized the historical significance of the crosswalk: “This represents decades of people who have endured housing discrimination, expulsion from the military, workplace discrimination, HIV and AIDS stigma, the fight for marriage equality, and all the hard-won battles that have taken the LGBTQ community from being marginalized to now being visible and visible members of the community.”

Fernandez noted that workers salvaged the removed paving stones for potential future use. The rainbow crosswalk, designed by Savino & Miller Design Studio and installed in 2018, featured colorful Art Deco-style terrazzo paving.