Florida News

Three Pulse protesters released after arrests for chalking rainbow back into crosswalk

Central Florida Public Media | By Nicole Darden Creston

Published September 2, 2025 at 6:21 AM CDT

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.

Updated September 1, 2025 at 3:20 PM CDT

Three people are now free without pending charges after their arrests Sunday evening at the Pulse nightclub memorial site. Witnesses say they again attempted to chalk the nearby crosswalk in rainbow colors that were recently removed by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Zane Aparicio, 39, Maryjane East, 25, and Donavon Short, 26, were arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol. They were charged with interference with a traffic device at the cost of $1,000 or more - a felony - after allegedly coloring in the contentious crosswalk with rainbow colors and writing the words "Right to free speech" into the black spaces.

They were freed by a judge with no pending charges Monday morning.

Some residents and lawmakers viewed the rainbow crosswalk as a memorial to the 49 people - mostly LQBTQ - killed in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016, and the rainbow's surprise nighttime removal by FDOT has caused ongoing protests. FDOT has had to repaint the crosswalk to remove rainbow colors at least twice, after protesters recolored it first with paint, then with daily chalkings that were permitted by law enforcement until a few days ago when signs were posted prohibiting the practice.

On Friday night, after the "Defacing roadway prohibited" signs went up, 29-year-old Orestes Sebastian Suarez of Georgia was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for allegedly rubbing colored chalk on the bottom of his shoes before he walked across the crosswalk.

Protester Chrissy Kiehl of Orlando 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.

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.

Since Suarez's arrest, law enforcement officials have erected another sign: "Defacing sidewalk prohibited." Early Sunday afternoon, however, protesters were still chalking the sidewalk outside the Pulse memorial site with rainbows and messages like "You can't erase us" and "Love wins." They also waved flags and signs. Bins of sidewalk chalk and piles of signs remained available for protester's use, provided along with water bottles, snacks, dog food, and other items that suggest a continued protester presence at the memorial. FHP troopers were on scene, with two cruisers parked in a lot across the street, but no arrests were made until protesters began coloring the crosswalk itself.

Witnesses say it began to rain as the arrests were taking place, washing the crosswalk clean.

After Sunday night's arrests, the protesters marched about a mile to Orlando City Hall and chalked sidewalks with rainbows outside the municipal building.

Protesters say they will continue to draw rainbows on Orlando sidewalks as demonstrations continue against FDOT's removal of the crosswalk's rainbow colors.