NYC leaders re-raise pride flag at Stonewall National Monument after Trump administration took it down
GREENWICH VILLAGE, Manhattan (WABC) — Local leaders re-raised the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument on Thursday afternoon after the Trump administration replaced it with an American flag this week.
The flag was taken down under new guidance from the Trump administration, stating that only U.S. flags, or flags authorized by Congress, can fly at sites run by the National Park Service.
The Federal Government took a swipe at Mayor Mamdani and local officials who have condemned the removal of the Pride flag, calling the re-raising of the flag a ‘political stunt’ and a ‘distraction.’
A crowd erupted in cheers as the Pride Flag was hoisted back up on the flagpole next to the American Flag that had replaced it earlier this week at the direction of the Trump Administration.
Today, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies took their power back.
“The goal is to try to exert power and authority in a place that it does not belong. We are a community – strong. There’s no stepping back. There’s no turning back history,” community member Melissa Billinghay said.
“This is where the Pride flag belongs. It’s part of the history of Stonewall. And so to remove the flag from Stonewall is to question the history,” Tracey Sydel said.
The Trump administration said only the U.S. flag or flags authorized by Congress are permitted at sites run by the National Park Service.
But some say an exception had previously been granted under President Joe Biden, as Stonewall is widely considered the birthplace of the modern Pride movement.
Elected officials stood their ground on Thursday.
“They’re coming after us. They’re coming into our monument, taking down our flag, trying to provoke us, trying to erase us,” NY State Senator Erik Bottcher said.
The U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, released the following statement:
“Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year’s severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials’ New York City. While today’s political stunt is a distraction from their recent deadly failures, it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City. Today’s political pageantry shows how utterly incompetent and misaligned the New York City officials are with the problems their city is facing.
“The president should focus on real issues. Not (expletive) and prejudice and bigotry and pettiness,” Janice Spector said.
Stonewall National Monument was designated a national monument by President Barack Obama in June 2016, becoming the first federal monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights.
It is located near the Stonewall Inn, a historic gay bar in the neighborhood that was a safe haven for many in the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s. The bar was violently raided by the NYPD in 1969, leading to riots that became known as the Stonewall Uprising, which is credited with kickstarting the modern LGBTQ+ movement. The NYPD publicly apologized for the raid in 2019.
“The flag is more than a piece of cloth. It’s a symbol of how diverse we are, the colors stand for joy and harmony,” New York Assemblyman Tony Simone said on Thursday morning. “They want to erase us. We’re not going anywhere. We will grow in numbers. Get off your couches. We need to rise up in this nation … this is our America too.”
Again, all government agencies follow longstanding federal flag policy that has been in place for decades. The United States Flag Code and the General Services Administration 41 CFR 102-74.415 give guidance regarding the display of flags on government flagpoles. Recent adjustments to flag displays at the monument were made to ensure consistency with federal guidance. Stonewall National Monument remains committed to preserving and interpreting the history and significance of this site through its exhibits, programs, and educational initiatives.”
(ABC News contributed to this report.)
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