Driscoll was temporarily overcome with emotion as it became apparent that she lacked the votes to pass a resolution. Councilmember Brandi Gabbard had a tense exchange with Mayor Ken Welch, who atypically interjected in the debate to address what he called \u201ctheatrics.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone could decide that I\u2019ll be removed from office tomorrow just for bringing this forward,\u201d Driscoll said of the state. \u201cHere I am. I\u2019m not afraid of this because I believe in it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Multiple council members wanted feedback from the community and additional information regarding potential state-led retaliation. The Florida Department of Transportation threatened to withhold funding<\/a> if local governments failed to comply with the street art ban.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I don\u2019t want to have is this not to pass today, and then there\u2019s no further conversation,\u201d said Councilmember Deborah Figgs Sanders. \u201cI do want to know what our constituents have to say.\u201d<\/p>\n The resolution states that St. Petersburg would fly the \u201cHarmony\u201d and \u201cHistory\u201d flags, which both include the official municipal seal, at \u201cappropriate times of the year\u201d at city facilities. \u201cAs with most art, these flags and their colors have a meaning to each person that is as unique as we are,\u201d Driscoll said.<\/p>\n The Harmony flag features a rainbow design with added colors, including white, brown, black and pink. Driscoll noted it varies from the Pride flag officials raise annually in June.<\/p>\n The History flag\u2019s red, yellow and green horizontal stripes represent African ancestry. St. Petersburg annually raises the Dr. Carter G. Woodson flag in February to celebrate Black History Month.<\/p>\n Driscoll said Terri Lipsey Scott, executive director of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, offered her stamp of approval. \u201cThis takes it to the next level, where it\u2019s not just about one group of people,\u201d Driscoll explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThese flags have been created to be about everybody \u2013 to be about everyone in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n She expressed concern that the state could preempt the city from flying the flags before a subsequent committee discussion. Councilmember Lisset Hanewicz noted a local broadcaster had already contacted the governor\u2019s office for comment.<\/p>\n Molly Best, a spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis, told the Seattle Times that the symbols are unnecessary because \u201cwe already have a flag that represents everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Council Chair Copley Gerdes said \u201ceveryone wants to make a stand\u201d after the state unceremoniously erased five murals over Labor Day weekend. Welch\u2019s administration has already met with 20 stakeholders, released a memo outlining a path forward and conducted a community feedback survey that ended Thursday.<\/p>\n Gerdes suggested delaying the vote until an Oct. 23 Committee of the Whole meeting. Administrators could discuss the survey\u2019s results, and officials could collectively unleash<\/a> \u201cmultiple different ways that we stand up to what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want to throw a haymaker,\u201d Gerdes added. \u201cI don\u2019t want to throw a jab.\u201d<\/p>\n Council members will further discuss the flags in two weeks.<\/p>\n St. Petersburg adopted its first municipal flag in 1927. The city now uses a version redesigned in 1984.<\/p>\n The Republican-led Legislature has repeatedly attempted to pass a bill that would restrict the flying of municipal flags. Assistant City Attorney Brett Pettigrew reiterated that the state could abolish St. Petersburg<\/a>, which lacks First Amendment free-speech protections.<\/p>\n \u201cI just have some real concerns, in terms of doing something that the state\u2019s going to turn around and completely preempt,\u201d Hanewicz said. \u201cAnd once they preempt it, you\u2019re not getting it back.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Pride-Alternative-Flag.jpg\")
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