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Three Pulse protesters arrested for chalking rainbow back into crosswalk

Early Sunday afternoon, a sign reading "Defacing sidewalk prohibited" stands next to an area of sidewalk chalked with the phrase "You can't erase us." Florida Highway Patrol cars are seen in the parking lot across the street behind the building.
Nicole Darden Creston
/
Central Florida Public Media
Early Sunday afternoon, a sign reading "Defacing sidewalk prohibited" stands next to an area of sidewalk chalked with the phrase "You can't erase us." Florida Highway Patrol cars are seen in the parking lot across the street behind the building.

Three people were detained by law enforcement Sunday evening at the Pulse nightclub memorial, after witnesses say they again chalked rainbow colors back into the crosswalk.

Updated September 1, 2025 at 4:02 AM EDT

Three people were arrested by Florida Highway Patrol Sunday evening at the Pulse nightclub memorial site, after witnesses say they again attempted to chalk the nearby crosswalk in rainbow colors that were recently removed by the Florida Department of Transportation.

This comes after one arrest Friday night of a man who faced similar allegations.

FHP troopers handcuffed three protesters after they allegedly colored in the contentious crosswalk with rainbow colors and wrote the words "Right to free speech" into the black spaces.

Some residents and lawmakers viewed the rainbow crosswalk as a memorial to the 49 people killed in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016, and the rainbow's surprise removal by F-D-O-T has caused ongoing protests.

A protester waves a gay pride/American flag in front of the Pulse memorial site Friday. Chalk rainbows continue to appear, even after warnings from the Florida Highway Patrol saying that "defacing" the sidewalk is prohibited.
Nicole Darden Creston / CFPM
/
CFPM
A protester waves a gay pride/American flag in front of the Pulse memorial site Friday. Chalk rainbows continue to appear, even after warnings from the Florida Highway Patrol saying that "defacing" the sidewalk is prohibited.

This comes two days after 29-year-old Orestes Sebastian Suarez was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for allegedly rubbing colored chalk on the bottom of his shoes before he walked across the crosswalk.

He was charged with criminal mischief and interfering with a traffic control device.

A judge ordered his release Saturday morning after finding no probable cause for the arrest.

Signs warning protesters not to "deface" the roadway or sidewalks have accumulated near the area as protesters vow they will continue to draw rainbows at least on the sidewalk.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more information.

Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media

Nicole Darden Creston
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