Hours after news broke that the National Park Service would no longer allow Pride flags to fly at the Stonewall National Monument \u2014 the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the United States \u2014 the Washington Blade spoke with New York State Sen. Erik Bottcher, who represents the area surrounding the Stonewall Inn and the national monument.<\/p>\n
During the interview, Bottcher, who is gay, spoke about the policy change and outlined steps he plans to take in the coming days to push for its reversal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is another act of erasure,\u201d Bottcher told the Blade. \u201cIt\u2019s a cowardly attempt to rewrite history and to intimidate our community. This is Stonewall \u2014 it\u2019s where we fought back, where we ignited a global movement for equality \u2014 and we refuse to go back. We\u2019re not going to accept these acts of erasure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Stonewall Inn became a flashpoint in 1969 after NYPD officers raided the bar, part of a longstanding pattern of police harassment of LGBTQ spaces. The raid sparked days of protest and resistance along Christopher Street, now widely recognized as the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ rights movement.<\/p>\n
While the events are often referred to as the \u201cStonewall Riots,\u201d many activists and historians prefer the term \u201cStonewall Uprising,\u201d emphasizing that the resistance was a response to systemic oppression rather than senseless violence. LGBTQ patrons and community members fought back \u2014 shouting \u201cGay Power!\u201d and \u201cLiberate Christopher Street!\u201d \u2014 as crowds grew and frustration with police abuse boiled over.<\/p>\n
Since the uprising, LGBTQ people and allies have gathered annually in June to commemorate Stonewall and to celebrate Pride, honoring the movement that placed LGBTQ voices at the center of the fight for equality.<\/p>\n
In June 2016, then President Barack Obama officially designated the space as the Stonewall National Monument, making it the United States\u2019s first national monument designated for an LGBTQ historic site.<\/p>\n
Now, nearly 10 years later, President Trump\u2019s appointed NPS acting director Jessica Bowron changed policy on Jan. 21 regarding which flags are allowed to be flown in national parks. Many, including Bottcher, say this is part of a larger targeted and deliberate attempt by the administration to erase LGBTQ history.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear they\u2019re making a conscious decision to erase the symbols of our community from a monument to our community\u2019s struggle,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a calculated and premeditated decision, and it could be \u2014 and should be \u2014 reversed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s be clear,\u201d Bottcher added, \u201cthey wish we didn\u2019t exist \u2026 But we\u2019re not going anywhere. We refuse to go back into the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked why it is critical to challenge the policy, Bottcher emphasized the importance of visibility in preserving LGBTQ history.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why it\u2019s so important that we not let this stand,\u201d he said. \u201cVisibility is critical. When people see us, learn about us, and get to know us, that\u2019s how we break down prejudice and stereotypes. We cannot allow them to push us back into the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other LGBTQ leaders and elected officials were quick to condemn the removal of the Pride flag, which had flown since the site\u2019s official designation as a national monument.<\/p>\n
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the decision \u201coutrageous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument,\u201d Mamdani said in a statement. \u201cNew York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change or silence that history.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to live up to it,\u201d he added. \u201cI will always fight for a New York City that invests in our LGBTQ+ community, defends their dignity, and protects every one of our neighbors \u2014 without exception.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also condemned the move.<\/p>\n