St. Petersburg to vote on flags for LGBTQ+ and Black communities after DeSantis erases murals

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Florida city of St. Petersburg, long a bastion of LGBTQ+ rights and mindful of its racially segregated past, is considering approval of two flags recognizing those issues after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered similar street murals erased because of supposedly political messages.

The St. Petersburg City Council is set to vote Thursday afternoon on the flags, which were designed by an artist who did one of the main erased street murals. The resolution’s sponsor, council member Gina Driscoll, said the goal is to assure residents and visitors that the city remains committed to diversity and inclusion.

“As with most art, these flags and their colors have a meaning to each person that is as unique as we are,” Driscoll said before the vote. “Flags are a reflection of a city’s identity, and these flags will go a step further in representing the people of St. Petersburg — all of us.”

One flag is dubbed “Harmony” and includes the city seal with a rainbow design. The city has long been known as a welcoming place for LGBTQ people and each year hosts one of the largest gay pride celebrations in the country. It also is a city where colorful murals are painted on buildings everywhere.

The other flag, dubbed “History,” is a nod to the Black experience in St. Petersburg, which was once heavily segregated. In one example, Black police officers for years were prevented from arresting white people north of the Central Avenue boundary that cuts through downtown. A federal judge eventually overturned that practice.

The flags are in reaction to a decision by DeSantis to erase street art around the state — the governor contends many are inappropriate roadway political messages — including at least five murals in St. Petersburg. One of those painted-over intersections was designed by artist Andrea Pawlisz, who also gave the flag designs to the city.

“Recent events have erased art from our city. Censorship of expression,” Pawlisz said in an email. “It was important to design these flags to recognize all people and to validate artists as a part of our city,”

DeSantis spokeswoman Molly Best said Thursday the flags are unnecessary because “we already have a flag that represents everyone.” She did not specify in an email whether that was the state or U.S. flag, nor whether the governor might challenge the St. Petersburg flags.

The flags would be hoisted on city property at “appropriate times,” according to Driscoll’s resolution, which would most likely include Pride month in June and Black History Month in February.

“The city should fly variations on the official flag to represent a shared sense of local identity, fostering a spirit of unity and belonging,” the resolution says.