Pride Flag Removed from Stonewall National Monument

Trump administration directive leads to flag's removal from symbolic LGBTQ+ site

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A large Pride flag has been removed from the flagpole at the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan, weeks after the Department of the Interior issued federal guidance on displaying 'non-agency' flags in the National Park System. The removal of the flag, which commemorates the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, has sparked outrage among local officials and community members.

Why it matters

The Stonewall Inn and the surrounding area are considered the symbolic heart of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, after a police raid at the bar in 1969 sparked three days of protests and riots. The removal of the Pride flag is seen as the latest step in the Trump administration's rollback of diversity initiatives, echoing a similar directive to only fly U.S. flags at American embassies and consulates worldwide.

The details

According to the National Park Service, the removal of the flag was made to 'ensure consistency' with the recent federal guidance, which states that 'only the U.S. flag and other congressionally or departmentally authorized flags are flown on NPS-managed flagpoles, with limited exceptions.' It is unclear who specifically removed the flag and when the removal took place.

  • On January 21, 2026, the Department of the Interior issued federal guidance on displaying 'non-agency' flags in the National Park System.
  • The Pride flag was removed from the Stonewall National Monument sometime after the federal guidance was issued, though the exact date is unclear.

The players

Brad Hoylman-Sigal

The Manhattan borough president, who criticized the decision to remove the Pride flag and said he and other local representatives are planning to raise the flag at the monument again on Thursday.

Chuck Schumer

The Democratic Senate leader from New York, who called the removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument a 'deeply outrageous action that must be reversed right now.'

Chester Streeper

A bartender and manager at the Stonewall Inn, who noticed the flag was missing when he arrived for work on Monday and called the situation 'ridiculous, as usual.'

Department of the Interior

The federal agency that oversees the National Park Service and issued the directive on displaying 'non-agency' flags at national park sites.

National Park Service

The agency that manages the Stonewall National Monument and cited the federal guidance as the reason for removing the Pride flag from the site.

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What they’re saying

“The mean-spiritedness of the Trump administration seems to know no bounds. But we as a community are not going to take it standing by idly as our history, and by extension our human rights, are attempted to be erased.”

— Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan borough president (New York Times)

“The removal of the Pride Rainbow Flag from the Stonewall National Monument is a deeply outrageous action that must be reversed right now.”

— Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senate leader from New York (New York Times)

“It's ridiculous, as usual.”

— Chester Streeper, Bartender and manager at the Stonewall Inn (New York Times)

What’s next

Brad Hoylman-Sigal and other local representatives are planning to raise the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument again on Thursday, though they acknowledge they may be prevented from doing so.

The takeaway

The removal of the Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument, the symbolic heart of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, is seen as the latest attack on diversity and inclusion by the Trump administration, sparking outrage among local officials and the community. This incident highlights the ongoing struggle to preserve and celebrate LGBTQ+ history and rights in the face of political opposition.