Historic Pride Flag Returns to Stonewall National Monument, Reversing Trump-Era Removal

In a symbolic gesture, New York City leaders re-raised the pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument on Thursday, following its earlier removal by the Trump administration, which had replaced it with an American flag earlier in the week.

The return of the pride flag was met with anticipation and emotion, as community members and advocates gathered to witness its reinstatement. The flag, a powerful emblem of LGBTQ+ pride, reclaimed its place after briefly being absent.

Mark Sydel, who was present at the ceremony, expressed his frustration, stating, “It’s an act of performative intimidation. It’s kind of like in-your-face; we’re going to do what we want.”

The removal of the pride flag was a result of new guidance from the Trump administration. This directive mandates that only U.S. flags, or those explicitly authorized by Congress, are permitted to fly at sites managed by the National Park Service.

In response to the federal action, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other local officials have vocally criticized the removal, viewing the re-raising of the pride flag as a necessary stand against what they perceive as a political maneuver. The federal government, however, dismissed this move as merely a “political stunt” and a “distraction.”

But the symbol of the gay rights movement at a place that is significant to the cause is a part of U.S. history, Tracey Sydel 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,” she said.

On Thursday afternoon, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies took their power back by putting the pride flag back up the flagpole to fly side-by-side with the stars and stripes.

“This is our America too and by God that flag will go back up – for every flag you take down – 10 more will go up!” New York State Assemblyman Tony Simone said.

State and city leaders seized on sticking it to the Trump administration. Meanwhile, 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.”

But some New Yorkers insist it was the Trump administration’s political stunt to begin with.

“The president should focus on real issues. Not B.S. and prejudice and bigotry and pettiness,” said Janice Spector, another flag raising attendee.

The focus now — to stand united in defiance.

“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,” Assemblyman Simone said. “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.”

The 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.