Speaker Julie Menin, LGBTQIA+ Caucus Co-Chairs Condemn Removal of Pride Flag from the Stonewall National Monument

In a letter to National Parks Service, Council leaders urge Trump Administration to immediately return Pride flag where it belongs

NEW YORK, NY - Today, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, along with the Co-Chairs of the Council's LGBTQIA+ Caucus, Council Members Chi Ossé and Justin Sanchez, denounced the removal of the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City. In a letter to the Trump Administration, Council leaders urged the National Parks Service to immediately return the Pride flag to the monument and requested a prompt response outlining the rationale behind this decision, along with steps the federal agency will take to ensure that the Stonewall National Monument continues to reflect the truth of its history and the community it represents.

This event follows an alarming trend of the erasure of LGBTQIA+ history, including the decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk and the removal of key facts from the Stonewall National Monument website.

The full letter can be found here.

An excerpt from the letter states:

"Stonewall is a sacred ground in the history of civil rights in our country. The events that took place there catalyzed a global movement for dignity, equality, and freedom - guiding principles upon which our nation was founded. The Pride flag has long flown as a symbol of that struggle and of the resilience of a community that continues to fight for its basic rights.

"In the year of the United States of America's 250th anniversary, American monuments like Stonewall matter more than ever. This is a moment to honor, celebrate, and uplift American culture and history. This decision sends a deeply troubling message, one that shows the world that we are willing to sanitize and erase our history and the very values that make America great."

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