State officials on Friday denied St. Petersburg's request to exempt some of its street art from removal.
The city sent the request earlier this week in response to a June memo from the Florida Department of Transportation demanding any street art with political or ideological messages be removed.
City officials had asked for an exemption for five murals, including a rainbow painted crosswalk on Central Avenue and 25th Street, which they said creates a sense of community.
In Orlando, a similar mural was painted over overnight by state officials.
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St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said FDOT denied the request and state officials will be removing the artwork. St. Pete will reimburse FDOT for the cost of removal.
But the community is ready to respond, said Byron Green-Calisch, president of St. Pete Pride.
"There's a full fleet of rainbow-painted, rainbow-themed things that will roll out and unfurl the moment that it may happen, and I think the community is ready to come out in force with a really strong showing of support,” Green-Calisch said.
Business owners are planning to repaint their storefronts and decorate the sidewalks, he said.
While street murals are not the only way the city shows its inclusivity, Green-Calisch said he is afraid of what else the state will take away if they don’t fight back.
“This is about community initiatives and the taxpayers themselves are fighting for these things to be left alone in their communities,” he said.
Mayor Welch said the community will find a way to honor its values "in every space and through every medium available to us.”
"The city remains committed to working with our community to find lawful ways to celebrate and express our values in the public realm," he wrote in a statement.
He added the "spirit of what makes St. Pete a special place" can't be changed by legislation.
The Florida Department of Transportation did not respond to requests for comment.
