Over 150 pride flags vandalized outside Stonewall Monument

Over 150 Pride flags at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City were snapped in half and left on the street, Gay City News reports.

A caretaker of the display, Steven Love Menendez, discovered the flags lying around when he did his morning rounds. He had only just installed the flags earlier this month in celebration of Pride Month.

Related: Town responds powerfully after thief steals over 200 Pride flags overnight

The theft occurred just before the start of Pride month. But the thief couldn’t steal the town’s spirit.

“It’s disappointing because this is the eighth year of this installation and there was no vandalism in the first six years,” Menendez said. “Last year was the first time.”

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Menendez said that, of the 250 flags on the display, three-quarters had been vandalized in the act. Police are currently investigating the incident.

The monument has been quickly restored to its original state. Menendez says it’s already back up for the public to see.

This incident comes nearly a year after trans pride flags at the monument were knocked off their displays by vandals, resulting in several arrests.

The monument commemorates the historic 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Bar. These riots, spearheaded by Black marginalized queers and trans women like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, helped lead to the modern push for LGBTQ+ rights. The uprising directly led to the first Pride parade.

“The last few years, the rhetoric has just gotten so hot — with the Republicans, the extreme right, creating all this hysteria,” Menendez continued. “This is one of our most sacred landmarks to the movement of the LGBTQ community.”

New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher (D) condemned the act of vandalism on X, where he showed photographs as well as a video of another act of vandalism.

“Anyone who thinks this will intimidate our community is badly mistaken,” he said.

Last night, bigots vandalized the Stonewall National Monument, snapping flag sticks & stealing 3/4 of the flags around the permitter of the park. Also, someone burned Pride decorations at 22nd St. in Chelsea. Anyone who thinks this will intimidate our community is badly mistaken. pic.twitter.com/x6K033UXBL

— Erik Bottcher (@ebottcher) June 14, 2024

New York Rep. Dan Goodman (D) also spoke out on X, stating, “The desecration of Pride decorations is unacceptable under any circumstances and especially hateful during Pride Month.”

“As a community, we must push back against hate of any kind. Hate against one is hate against all,” Goodman wrote.

The Stonewall Monument is a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride, and the desecration of Pride decorations is unacceptable under any circumstances and especially hateful during Pride Month.

As a community, we must push back against hate of any kind.

Hate against one is hate against all. https://t.co/0i29YLJjwb

— Rep. Dan Goldman (@RepDanGoldman) June 14, 2024

New York Attorney General Letitia James also spoke out, writing, “This is disgusting. In New York, we stand for love and acceptance, not hate and bigotry.”

This is disgusting.

In New York, we stand for love and acceptance, not hate and bigotry.

Anyone with information about this vandalism should contact @NYPDNews. https://t.co/XFuAwm0p7O

— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) June 14, 2024

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