TWO Slams DeSantis For Vandalizing Delray Beach’s Rainbow Crosswalk in Dead of Night
Delray Beach, FL — Truth Wins Out (TWO) condemned the DeSantis administration today after the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) moved in the dead of night to paint over Delray Beach’s Pride intersection — a longtime symbol of inclusion for LGBTQ residents and visitors. City officials said the cowards at FDOT arrived around 2:30 a.m. with state troopers and covered the mural in black paint at NE 1st St. and NE 2nd Ave., hours after ordering the city to remove it.
“Gov. Ron DeSantis is an ideologue who showed his true colors — and they weren’t rainbow,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “It is both alarming and pathetic that he prioritized his obsession with erasing LGBTQ symbols when there are so many real problems he has failed miserably to address in Florida. While he moved rapidly to paint over the rainbow crosswalk, his response to white supremacists and neo-Nazis spewing hate has often been glacially slow.”
The New York Times wrote about DeSantis’ slow walking criticism of Nazi’s parading openly in Florida:
Mr. DeSantis has earned fewer plaudits for his response to a series of neo-Nazi demonstrations that have taken place in his state over the last two years. The hateful displays have included masked men marching and chanting “Jews get the rope” and banners with swastikas hung from highway overpasses.
Unlike other prominent Republican politicians in Florida, the governor stayed silent after each incident, making no public statements.
“Had the Nazis worn rainbow boots, maybe DeSantis would have gotten off his duff to criticize them,” said TWO’s Besen. “The contrast between his fast action on rainbow crosswalks in Delray and his dereliction of duty in criticizing white supremacists reveals his disturbing priorities.”
In 2022, after neo-Nazis rallied in the Orlando area, DeSantis was widely pressed for a forceful condemnation; instead, he initially attacked critics and minimized the demonstrators, prompting headlines and rebukes from across the spectrum. Similar critiques resurfaced in 2023 after renewed white-supremacist activity.
Besen called on Floridians and allies nationwide to stand with Delray Beach and communities across the state facing similar pressure. “Now is the time for the LGBTQ community — and everyone who believes in basic fairness — to be extra vocal and visible. We will not be erased. We will not disappear quietly because a stage horse governor pitifully chases culture-war headlines,” Besen said.
FDOT’s action in Delray Beach is the latest salvo in a statewide campaign to eradicate rainbow crosswalks and other street-art expressions under the guise of “uniformity” and “safety.” In recent weeks, the state has ordered removals around Florida and threatened noncompliant cities with penalties — a crackdown felt from Key West to Orlando.
Delray Beach officials, who had been pursuing formal channels to challenge the state’s directive, said FDOT’s unilateral move “did not allow the city commission the opportunity to review the order as an elected government body.” The city emphasized its commitment to “unity, respect, and the fundamental human rights that belong to every member of our community.”
“Erasing a rainbow does nothing to make Floridians safer, healthier, or more prosperous,” Besen added. “It does, however, send a chilling message to LGBTQ youth and families that their government is targeting symbols of their dignity. This isn’t leadership — it’s performative cruelty.”
TWO urged Floridians to attend city meetings, support local legal challenges, and join peaceful demonstrations that highlight the positive impact of inclusive public art. The group also encouraged municipalities to document the economic and cultural harm caused by forced removals, as tourism and local businesses often benefit from welcoming environments.
“Symbols matter because people matter,” Besen said. “Communities like Delray Beach chose to celebrate diversity. The state’s invasive and intrusive Big Government decision to strip that away under cover of darkness betrays a fear of visibility — not a concern for safety.”
Truth Wins Out emphasized that the Delray Beach action fits into a broader pattern under DeSantis: top-down interference with local decisions, and relentless assaults on LGBTQ visibility in schools, libraries, and public spaces. “From book bans to crosswalk bans, the message is the same,” Besen said. “If you’re different, be quiet. We refuse to comply.”
About Truth Wins Out
Truth Wins Out is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works to advance liberty and democracy, protect the rights of LGBTQ people and other minorities, combat religious extremism, and fight against the spread of disinformation.
Media Contact:
Contact: Wayne Besen, Executive Director
Email: WBesen@truthwinsout.org
