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New York officials and activists gathered Thursday to restore a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, defying the Trump administration’s recent removal of the LGBTQ+ symbol from the historic landmark.
In a passionate display of resistance, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal helped hoist the flag amid chants of “Raise it Up!” from a crowd of more than 100 supporters.
“If you can’t fly a Pride flag steps from Stonewall monument, at the National monument for LGBTQ liberation, where can you fly it?” said Hoylman-Sigal, the first openly gay person elected to his position. “So we put it back.”
The flag had previously flown for several years on a flagpole in the small park across from the Stonewall Inn, where a 1969 police raid triggered protests that helped launch the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The site was designated a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016, making it the first federal monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history.
What began as a symbolic raising on a separate pole quickly evolved into a more defiant act. Activists, dissatisfied that the rainbow flag was flying lower than the American flag, removed it and rehung both flags on the same pole, allowing them to wave together in the chilly breeze.
Jay W. Walker, one of the activists who secured the flag in its final position, vowed continued resistance if authorities remove it again. “We will keep doing this,” he declared. “Our community is not going to stand for our park, our flagpole, to be disrespected by the Trump administration.”
The National Park Service, which manages the monument, has stated it is following federal guidance on flags, including a January 21 memo limiting displays primarily to U.S. flags, Department of Interior flags, and POW/MIA recognition flags, with narrow exceptions for “historical context.”
The Interior Department dismissed Thursday’s flag-raising as a “political stunt” and criticized New York City’s Democratic leadership, stating, “Today’s political pageantry shows how utterly incompetent and misaligned the New York City officials are with the problems their city is facing.”
For LGBTQ+ advocates, the flag’s removal represents more than a bureaucratic decision. They view it as part of a broader pattern of concerning changes at the monument, including the elimination of many references to transgender people in site materials.
“The new Trump administration is literally stealing our pride, or attempting to,” said Ken Kidd, who was instrumental in early efforts to have the flag installed permanently. “It is a form of identity theft, where they are truly trying to take away those symbols of what we stand for — those symbols of our history, those symbols of our progress, those symbols of our future.”
The controversy has drawn criticism from prominent New York Democrats, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
Despite the federal action, a rainbow flag continues to fly on a city-owned pole just outside the park boundaries, and smaller flags adorn the fence around the monument, maintained by local volunteers.
The flag dispute comes amid broader actions by the Trump administration targeting diversity initiatives across government. Recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth renamed a Navy ship that had honored Harvey Milk, the slain gay rights activist and Korean War veteran who became San Francisco’s first openly gay elected official. The vessel now bears the name of World War II Medal of Honor recipient Chief Petty Officer Oscar V. Peterson.
The administration has also been reviewing interpretive materials at national parks and landmarks, seeking to remove or alter descriptions deemed “divisive or partisan” or that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”
The Park Service has not responded to specific questions about the Stonewall site flag policy or clarified whether flags have been removed from other national park sites.
As the rainbow flag once again flies at the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, the confrontation highlights the ongoing tension between federal policy and local values at sites of cultural and historical significance.
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18 Comments
Kudos to the officials and activists who stepped up to restore the Pride flag at the Stonewall monument. Ensuring LGBTQ+ histories and symbols remain visible at historic sites is vital, especially when faced with attempts to erase that heritage.
I agree, the Stonewall Riots were a pivotal moment that galvanized the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Maintaining that legacy and visibility is crucial, even in the face of political opposition.
Removing the Pride flag from the Stonewall monument was a misguided and harmful act. I’m glad to see it restored through this passionate community-led effort. The LGBTQ+ community’s hard-fought victories must continue to be recognized and celebrated.
Yes, the Stonewall Riots catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Restoring the Pride flag is an important way to honor that pivotal history and the ongoing struggle for equality.
This is an inspiring show of resistance against attempts to erase LGBTQ+ visibility and history. The Stonewall monument is a sacred site, and flying the Pride flag there is a powerful statement of solidarity and defiance.
Agreed, this action reclaims an important LGBTQ+ landmark and sends a clear message that hard-won civil rights will not be rolled back without a fight.
Raising the Pride flag at the Stonewall monument is a powerful act of defiance and solidarity. LGBTQ+ civil rights and heritage must be protected, even in the face of efforts to roll back hard-won progress.
Agreed. The Stonewall Riots sparked the modern LGBTQ+ liberation movement. Restoring the Pride flag to this historic site is an important reaffirmation of those foundational struggles.
This is a powerful and symbolic gesture to defend LGBTQ+ rights and heritage. Raising the Pride flag at the Stonewall monument sends a strong message that these hard-won civil liberties must be protected, even in the face of regressive political forces.
Agreed, the Stonewall Riots were a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Restoring the Pride flag is an important act of solidarity and a reaffirmation of those foundational struggles.
Raising the Pride flag at the Stonewall monument is an important act of defiance and solidarity. LGBTQ+ civil rights and histories must be protected, even when faced with efforts to roll back hard-won progress.
Absolutely. The Stonewall Riots were a transformative moment that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ liberation movement. Restoring the Pride flag to this historic site is a powerful reaffirmation of those foundational struggles.
This is an inspiring display of resistance against attempts to erase LGBTQ+ visibility and history. The Stonewall monument is a sacred site, and the Pride flag belongs there as a symbol of hard-won civil rights.
Absolutely. Maintaining the presence of LGBTQ+ symbols and narratives at nationally significant locations is crucial, especially in the face of regressive political forces.
It’s heartening to see local officials and activists taking a stand to defend LGBTQ+ representation at such an historically significant site. The Stonewall monument should proudly display the Pride flag as a symbol of inclusivity and progress.
Absolutely. Maintaining the visibility of LGBTQ+ symbols and histories at national monuments is crucial. This defiant action is a meaningful rebuke of the Trump administration’s attempts to erase queer narratives.
Kudos to the officials and activists who stepped up to restore the Pride flag at the Stonewall monument. Ensuring LGBTQ+ symbols and histories remain visible at nationally significant sites is vital, especially in the face of regressive political forces.
Absolutely. The Stonewall Riots were a pivotal moment that catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Maintaining that legacy and visibility is crucial.