00:00LGBTQ plus protesters gathered at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City after federal
00:05officials removed the pride flag, declaring that while the flag may be taken down, they
00:09won't stop being gay.
00:11The pride flag was removed Monday from the Stonewall National Monument, a site that commemorates
00:15the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal event in the modern LGBTQ plus equality movement.
00:22The monument, located in Greenwich Village across from the Stonewall Inn, was designated
00:26a national monument in 2016.
00:28A National Park Service spokesperson stated that the removal follows new guidance issued
00:32by the Trump administration.
00:34The updated policy requires that only the U.S. flag and other congressionally or departmentally
00:38authorized flags be flown on National Park Service-managed flagpoles, with limited exceptions.
00:44Officials said changes to flag displays are being made to ensure consistency with that
00:48guidance.
00:49They added that the monument continues to preserve and interpret its historic significance through
00:53exhibits and programs.
00:54While smaller pride flags remain along the fence line of Christopher Park within the
00:58monument site, the removal of the main rainbow flag prompted backlash from activists and
01:02local officials.
01:03Mayor Zoran Mamdani said he was outraged by the decision.
01:07Approximately 150 people gathered at the monument Tuesday evening in 30-degree weather to protest
01:12the removal.
01:14Demonstrators waved pride flags and held signs, reading,
01:17Bring back our flags.
01:18Stonewall is not over, and they have declared war on us.
01:22One protester said, You can take down the flag.
01:25We're not going to stop being gay.
01:27Community members also referenced a recent executive order that shortened references to
01:31LGBTQ plus on National Park Service websites to LGB.
01:36Protesters described the flag's removal as a symbolic action, but said it would not change
01:40the legacy of Stonewall or their presence in the community.
01:43The gathering concluded with demonstrators reaffirming their commitment to preserving the
01:46history and visibility of the LGBTQ plus community at the landmark site.
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