Trump administration removes Rainbow Flag from Stonewall National Monument

The Trump administration has removed the Rainbow Flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, prompting widespread condemnation from LGBTQ+ activists, local leaders, and community members. The flag, a powerful symbol of pride and resilience, had flown at the federally managed site in Christopher Park - adjacent to the historic Stonewall Inn - since 2022, marking the first time a Pride flag had been permanently raised on federal land. Its quiet removal in recent days has been met with fury and sorrow across the LGBTQ+ community. 

The National Park Service (NPS), which manages the site, confirmed that the removal followed a directive from the Department of the Interior stipulating that only the US flag and certain authorised flags may be flown on federal poles. Officials claim the policy is a clarification of longstanding guidance, but activists and local leaders have rejected the explanation as thin cover for a politically motivated act of erasure. 

For many, the removal is deeply symbolic. Stonewall is globally recognised as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, following the 1969 uprising in response to a police raid on the bar. Campaigners who fought for years to see the Pride flag officially raised on federal land say the decision represents a painful reversal. “It’s just a disgusting slap in the face,” said Ann Northrop, a veteran activist, who described the move as profoundly disappointing and frightening in its implications. Smaller Pride flags remain on the park’s fencing, but the absence of the federal flag is viewed as a targeted swipe at the community’s visibility and history. 

Local officials have joined the outcry. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal called the decision “petty and vindictive”, insisting the community will not stand by while its history is diminished. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also condemned the removal, saying no act of erasure will silence the city’s legacy as the birthplace of LGBTQ+ liberation. Community leaders have pledged to re-raise the flag, with protestors gathering at the monument to demonstrate their defiance. 

Despite this setback, activists remain determined. “You can take down the flag—we’re going to put it back up,” said Dr Carla Smith of the LGBT Community Center, capturing a spirit of resistance that echoes Stonewall’s original legacy.