Controversial Vote to Remove Pride Flag in Upstate New York Town

A town board in upstate New York made the decision to take down the LGBTQ Pride flag from the City Hall grounds during a heated meeting on Thursday night. This move came just after June’s Pride Month, resulting in the flag being officially lowered the following Friday morning.

The City Council of Webster, a Rochester suburb with about 45,000 residents, scheduled the flag’s removal from a pole it shared with the American flag at 9 a.m.

Following the flag’s removal, a group of over a dozen protesters gathered to express their dissatisfaction, chanting and jeering.

Local news reported that the Pride flag had been raised for the first time in Webster’s history just earlier that week, yet the board voted 3-2 to take it down. Councilman John Cahill proposed a measure that would limit the flags flown on town property to only the American flag and the state flag.

The decision elicited a range of responses from community members present at the meeting. One resident, Laurie Reed, supported the board’s decision, stating that only government flags should be displayed on government property. She argued that this policy would maintain neutrality and avoid any political or social bias.

Conversely, Wanda Moore, another resident, voiced her disagreement, saying, “There are a lot of people in this community who are not considered ‘normal.’ By flying the flag, we show them that our community supports them and their lives.”

In a statement earlier in the week, Town Supervisor Alex Chardone explained his support for the Pride flag, emphasizing that it wasn’t meant to serve as a political statement, nor to offend anyone. He believed it was important for some community members to know they were recognized and seen in their town.

On Friday, Chardone expressed his disappointment over the board’s decision, highlighting that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and accepted for who they are.