In a symbolic act of defiance and solidarity, New York City leaders re-hoisted the pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument on Thursday. This came after the Trump administration had earlier replaced it with an American flag, citing new directives.

Under a clear sky, community members and advocates gathered eagerly, their eyes fixed on the flagpole. For them, witnessing the pride flag fly once again was a moment of reclaiming their identity and history.

“It’s an act of performative intimidation. It’s kind of like in your face, we’re going to do what we want,” remarked Mark Sydel, a participant in the flag-raising ceremony, capturing the mood among attendees.

The removal of the pride flag followed new guidance from the Trump administration, which mandated that only U.S. flags or those approved by Congress could be flown at National Park Service sites.

The federal government did not hold back in its criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other local officials for condemning the flag’s removal. They labeled the re-raising ceremony as a “political stunt” and a mere “distraction.”

Yet for many, including Tracey Sydel, the pride flag stands as a vital symbol of the gay rights movement, especially at a site as historically significant as Stonewall. It is a piece of U.S. history, and its presence at the monument is a testament to the enduring struggle for equality.

“This is where the pride flag belongs. It’s part of the history of Stonewall. And so to remove the flag from Stonewall is to question the history,” she said.

On Thursday afternoon, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies took their power back by putting the pride flag back up the flagpole to fly side-by-side with the stars and stripes.

“This is our America too and by God that flag will go back up – for every flag you take down – 10 more will go up!” New York State Assemblyman Tony Simone said.

State and city leaders seized on sticking it to the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, released the following statement:

“Hundreds of families in New York City went without power during this year’s severe cold weather, people are being found dead on the streets, and trash has piled up so high it towers over city residents. This is Mayor Mamdani and city officials’ New York City. While today’s political stunt is a distraction from their recent deadly failures, it would be a better use of their time to get the trash buildup off city streets, ensure there are no more avoidable deaths, and work to keep the power on for the people of New York City. Today’s political pageantry shows how utterly incompetent and misaligned the New York City officials are with the problems their city is facing.”

But some New Yorkers insist it was the Trump administration’s political stunt to begin with.

“The president should focus on real issues. Not B.S. and prejudice and bigotry and pettiness,” said Janice Spector, another flag raising attendee.

The focus now — to stand united in defiance.

“The flag is more than a piece of cloth. It’s a symbol of how diverse we are, the colors stand for joy and harmony,” Assemblyman Simone said. “They want to erase us. We’re not going anywhere. We will grow in numbers. Get off your couches. We need to rise up in this nation … this is our America too.”

The Stonewall National Monument was designated a national monument by President Barack Obama in June 2016, becoming the first federal monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights.

It is located near the Stonewall Inn, a historic gay bar in the neighborhood that was a safe haven for many in the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s. The bar was violently raided by the NYPD in 1969, leading to riots that became known as the Stonewall Uprising, which is credited with kickstarting the modern LGBTQ+ movement. The NYPD publicly apologized for the raid in 2019.