Trump administration removes rainbow flag from Stonewall memorial

Donald Trump's administration has removed a large rainbow flag that flew over the Stonewall National Monument, which marks the "birthplace" of the modern gay rights movement in New York City.

The National Park Service, the federal agency that oversees U.S. national monuments, said it manages the flagpole at the memorial and that the flag was removed to ensure consistent application of its "longstanding policy" at all of its sites.

However, some elected officials in New York said the removal of the flag from the memorial in Greenwich Village in central Manhattan was part of Republican Trump's efforts to restrict the rights of gay and transgender people.

Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed outrage, calling it an "act of erasure." Some officials said they plan to raise another rainbow flag on the empty pole by the end of this week.

(reuters, im)