Removal of Pride Flag from Stonewall Monument Sparks Outrage

The Trump administration has directed that the Pride flag be taken down from the Stonewall National Monument, which commemorates the landmark gay riots of the 1960s.

According to the order, only the U.S. flag and certain approved flags are permitted to be displayed at locations managed by the National Park Service.

“New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change or silence that history,” New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani expressed in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Mamdani voiced his frustration, stating, “I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride flag from Stonewall National Monument. Our city has an obligation not only to honor this heritage, but to protect it.”

In a show of defiance, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced plans to raise the flag again at the monument on Tuesday, alongside other politicians from the area.

This national monument serves as a reminder of the riots against police brutality that took place in Greenwich Village, a pivotal moment for LGBTQ+ rights. It was established during Barack Obama’s presidency.

Hoylman-Sigal commented, “Frankly, I think it’s crucial for us to use our voices and stand up for our communities, just as our ancestors did with great courage in 1969. This is not the time for our community to sit idly while President Trump and the federal government attempt to tarnish our history.”

Mamdani continued in his post, “I will always fight for a New York City that invests in the LGBTQ+ community, protects their dignity, and safeguards all of our neighbors without exception.”

Similar backlash from LGBTQ+ activists occurred earlier this year when the Trump administration removed the “T” and “Q” from the LGBTQ acronym associated with Stonewall. Protesters had vandalized a monument sign, adding the word “transgender.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul didn’t hold back her criticism of the administration at that time, stating, “This is just cruel and petty. Transgender individuals play a vital role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and New York will never tolerate their contributions being erased.”