The rainbow Pride flag will return to the Stonewall National Monument in New York City as part of a legal settlement ending a high-profile lawsuit over its removal by the National Park Service in February.
The removal of the flag from the site of the 1969 uprising that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement ignited widespread backlash. Historians, advocates, and elected officials saw the removal as an attempt to erase important queer history.
Advocates secured the permanent return of the Pride flag to the federally managed New York City landmark after removal ignited outrage.
— The Advocate (@advocate.com) April 13, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Legal Win Secures Return Of Pride Flag To Stonewall
The agreement settles a case brought by several pro-LGBTQ groups, including the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation, and Equality New York.
From The Advocate:
Under the settlement, the federal government agreed the Pride flag will remain at Stonewall and “will not be removed” except for practical reasons such as maintenance, according to the court filing.
The agreement requires the National Park Service to reinstall the display within seven days, with the American flag at the top of the pole and the rainbow Pride flag and the agency’s flag flown beneath it.
The Trump administration removed the flag in February as part of its attack on DEI policies. The pro-LGBTQ+ groups filed their lawsuit 8 days later arguing the move unlawfully targeted LGBTQ+ expression and ignored a legal exception that allows historically relevant flags.
Breaking News: The Trump administration agreed to allow the rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall monument in Manhattan, reversing its earlier decision. nyti.ms/4c8DEry
— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) April 13, 2026 at 9:19 AM