The brightly colored mural punctuating the intersection of Central Avenue and 25th Street in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg has been painted over, making it the last of five local pieces of street art the state targeted for removal.

The mural was iconic to its location, with its brightly colored stripes in the color of the progressive pride flag situated just steps away from a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub and other safe spaces for the community.

Its removal came in the dark of night — as others have — and just hours after scores of protesters gathered to cover the pavement surrounding the mural in sidewalk chalk, on property the state could not touch.

The state, led by an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis , targeted five street murals in the city, including the

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