New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed strong anger over the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from the Stonewall National Monument, calling the act an attempt to erase a vital chapter of the city’s history. “I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history,” Mamdani said. “Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it. I will always fight for a New York City that invests in our LGBTQ+ community, defends their dignity, and protects every one of our neighbors—without exception.”
I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 10, 2026
Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to…
The flag, which had flown over the Manhattan monument that commemorates the birth of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, was quietly taken down following a federal directive. The removal, the second such action in less than a year, came weeks after the Department of the Interior issued guidance limiting the display of “non-agency” flags on National Park Service properties, including the small park in front of the Stonewall Inn.
Elected officials and Stonewall Inn staff noticed the flag was missing on Monday morning. By Tuesday, a lone flagpole stood bare as overcast skies loomed above the site. Stacy Lentz, one of the bar’s owners, expressed surprise at the move, noting that the administration had already removed references to transgender people from the monument’s website last year. “To think you can go to Stonewall and just take down the Pride flag — that is telling of the time we are living in,” Lentz said. “The flag is not just an abstract symbol; it tells LGBTQ+ people, especially younger ones, that their history will not be sidelined again.”
The removal has drawn sharp criticism from city and national leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the action “deeply outrageous” and pledged that the flag would return. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who provided a copy of the directive to The New York Times, said, “The meanspiritedness 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.”
Since President Trump’s inauguration, his administration has taken steps to curb displays it deems inconsistent with its view of public spaces, including removing exhibits on slavery, climate change, and immigrant and labor history from national park sites. The Park Service’s actions at Stonewall follow a broader push, including a State Department order last year requiring that only U.S. flags fly at American embassies and consulates worldwide.
The Stonewall National Monument, encompassing the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and surrounding streets, holds a central place in LGBTQ+ history. The site commemorates the June 1969 police raids at the bar that sparked protests and riots widely recognized as the beginning of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. It became a national monument in 2016 under President Barack Obama and is also a city landmark and state historical site. The original Pride flag, introduced in 1978, represents the community’s experiences through eight colors, each with its own meaning.
For Mayor Mamdani, the removal of the flag is a harsh reminder of the work still ahead. He stressed that protecting LGBTQ+ history and visibility is not symbolic—it requires active advocacy and vigilance. Mamdani reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that New York City continues to honor Stonewall’s legacy, keeping its history alive for current and future generations.
