The Pride flag that hung outside the famous LGBTQ+ historical monument in Greenwich Village was removed in early February, a move that saw ample backlash from local leaders, advocates and allies. In protest, New York lawmakers and leaders came together with LGBTQ+ activists and allies to raise a flag again outside the monument, the week following its removal. Those in support of the move included Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Congressman Jerry Nadler and more. Mayor Zohran Mamdani also voiced support for the re-establishment of the flag at the monument.
“We won’t let Trump erase LGBTQ+ history,” Nadler wrote in a statement online. “Stonewall was a rebellion. Stonewall was a beginning. Today, Stonewall is a call to action once again.” The re-raising of the flag followed the release of a letter co-signed by over 20 national LGBTQ+ organizations. The letter, addressed to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and General Services Administrator Ed Forst, demanded the flag be restored.
Official legal action was filed by Lambda Legal, a firm supporting the national LGBTQ+ community, and Washington Litigation Group, just eight days after the flag’s removal, representing the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation, and Equality New York.
The case brought victory to LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, securing a court-enforceable settlement requiring the National Park Service (NPS) to restore the Pride flag, according to a release from Lambda Legal.
The law firms argued that the government’s actions illegally targeted the LGBTQ+ community, violating the federal policy that contains exemptions for flags that provide historical context. The settlement not only required that the government rehang the Pride flag, but to maintain it permanently.
“The sudden, arbitrary, and capricious removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument was yet another act by this administration to erase the LGBTQ+ community,” said Karen Loewy, co-counsel for plaintiffs and Senior Counsel & Director of Constitutional Law Practice, Lambda Legal.
“This is a complete victory for our clients and for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Alexander Kristofcak, lead counsel for plaintiffs and a lawyer with the Washington Litigation Group. “The government has acknowledged what we argued from day one: the Pride flag belongs at Stonewall. The flag will be restored and it will fly officially and permanently. And we will remain vigilant to ensure that the government sticks to the deal.”
