ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The fate of protestors arrested for chalking in the Pulse crosswalk now lies with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s office.
So far, four protestors have been arrested for using chalk to color in the crosswalk by the Pulse memorial, but all four were quickly released from jail.
As of Tuesday evening, three of the four protestors faced citations but the state had not made a decision on prosecuting the protestors criminally.
The protestors Zane Aparicio, Mary Jane East, and Donavon Short’s arrests came after troopers arrested 29-year-old Sebastian Suarez Friday night. He was visiting from Georgia for his birthday.
Aparicio, East, and Short were arrested for defacing a traffic control device, the same reason Saurez was arrested
On Tuesday, Governor Ron Desantis said he supported efforts to build a permanent Pulse memorial but said he did not support ongoing protests.
“You do not have a right to take someone else’s property for your messaging purposes that’s never been what the first amendment has said,” said Desantis.
The governor reiterated the Florida Department of Transportation is requiring he removal of all political messages including messages supporting ‘Blue Lives Matter” and artwork on roadways.
“When you have a state crosswalk or a state road, the law in the state of Florida is now that there’s not markings. That’s not going to be used for those purposes,” said Desantis.
As the state continues to enforce FDOT rules requiring uniform markings on all roads, the decision whether to formally charge protestors now lies with the State Attorney’s Office.
“I’m under no illusions about the State Attorney from Orange and Osceola County and I think it’s likely going to be political decisions,” said Desantis.
On Tuesday, State Attorney Monique Worrell responded to those allegations.
“My decision is not a political one. In this office we have a duty to follow the law,” said Worrell.
Her office elaborated further in the statement below:
“The rainbow crosswalk is more than a street marking. It is a memorial to the 49 lives taken at Pulse and a symbol of love and resilience for our community. Its removal has sparked deep emotion, and we recognize the significance this site holds for so many.
While law enforcement makes arrests, my office is responsible for how those cases are handled once they come before us. We will review each case with fairness, transparency, and respect for both the law and the community we serve.
Our commitment is to ensure justice is administered with integrity, guided by the facts of each case and mindful of the trust our community places in this office.”
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