St. Petersburg installs rainbow bike racks – Photo: @stpetefl via Instagram
The city of St. Petersburg has installed 11 rainbow-colored bike racks in response to the removal of several street murals — including a Pride-themed mural — by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The racks were installed in the Grand Central District at Central Avenue and 25th Street, the former location of one of five murals removed at the direction of federal and state authorities.
The mural at Central Avenue and 25th Street featured colored stripes representing the progressive Pride flag and was located just steps from Ride’em Cowboy, one of the city’s best-known LGBTQ nightclubs and a “safe space” for the community, according to Florida Politics.
Other murals targeted for removal included one dedicated to Black history, another featuring abstract geometric shapes, a brightly colored “Common Ground” mural, and one depicting a cross-like design over what appeared to be a target.
Local authorities initially resisted removing the crosswalks, even after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a directive urging governors to eliminate street murals and artwork — including rainbow crosswalks — as part of his “SAFE ROADS” initiative. Duffy has claimed such street art is a “distraction,” a claim disputed by some traffic safety research.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis later issued an executive order calling for the removal of such street art. The Florida Department of Transportation then paved over the crosswalks and roadways, repainting them with traditional markings.
Following community outcry over the decision, city leaders — including St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch — began exploring other ways to honor the lost artwork, ultimately settling on rainbow-colored bike racks, which are not covered by DeSantis’ executive order or Duffy’s “SAFE ROADS” initiative.
Jordan Doyle Walsh, Welch’s chief of staff, told City Council members in an email that the bike rack installation is only one part of the city’s broader response to the removal of the street murals.
“We intend that this small gesture of inclusion and celebration will be a symbol of our resolve to not be silenced,” Walsh wrote.
The city posted a video on Instagram showing workers installing the bike racks, accompanied by a message reading: “Pride on the streets! We’ve just installed 11 Pride-inspired bike racks along Central Ave and 25th St. — a vibrant way to honor the Pride street murals that were removed earlier this year due to state requirements.”
“Love this,” commented one user. “For every action there is a reaction. When the bigots, racists, and homophobes want to play stupid games we just step back, assess, regroup, and come back stronger. We stand [with] our LGBTQ friends.”
Russia's federal media regulator has blocked access to the U.S.-based children's gaming platform Roblox, accusing it of violating the country's ban on distributing so-called "LGBT propaganda."
The platform allows users to create their own games or play games made by others, drawing millions of young players worldwide.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, announced the ban on December 3, telling Reuters the platform is "rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children."
Tyler Getchell of Jacksonville, Florida, has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting and partially paralyzing his neighbor, Kyle McFarlane, during an argument over what Getchell believed was trespassing.
McFarlane told police he was gathering discarded furniture for a bonfire on November 22 when Getchell and his girlfriend came outside and yelled at him to get off their property, First Coast News reported.
According to the police report, video footage shows McFarlane standing on a property easement -- not on his neighbors' land -- just before the shooting.
Conservative Christians attacked fast food giant Chick-fil-A after a franchisee in Orem, Utah, posted a Facebook message celebrating a young gay couple’s marriage.
"CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HAPPY COUPLE!" the December 3 post reads. "Dougie & Toby recently got married and we are so beyond happy for them!"
The celebratory message quickly triggered backlash from conservatives. The "Chick-fil-A Orem Plaza" Facebook account ultimately restricted public comments to users who had been following the page for more than 24 hours.
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