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 erasure of important queer history.
The agreement settles a case brought by several pro-LGBTQ groups including the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation, and Equality New York.
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
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 case is dismissed “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be refiled, and each side will cover its own legal costs, according to the court documents.
In February, the Trump administration removed the flag, arguing it needed to comply with official policy.
Just eight days later, the groups sued, contending the move unlawfully targeted LGBTQ+ expression and ignored an exception allowing historically relevant flags — a category they said includes the Pride flag at Stonewall, according to the release.
Read more here.
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
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