The Trump administration agreed on Monday to raise the pride flag back up at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City within the next week.
The agreement came as the federal government settled a lawsuit filed by LGBT groups. Under the settlement’s terms, the flag will be permanently restored to its place on the memorial’s flagpole alongside the American flag and a flag for the National Park Service.
The legal battle ensued in February when the agency quietly removed the pride flag after the Interior Department issued federal guidance on flag displays.
The Stonewall National Monument was established in 2016 by President Barack Obama. The landmark is considered the first national monument dedicated to LGBT rights and history. It’s meant to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in which LGBT protesters clashed with police over six days.
Since returning to office last year, President Donald Trump has targeted federal diversity policies that perpetuated transgender ideology or promoted LGBT issues. For instance, the National Park Service deleted all “transgender” references on the national monument’s webpage.
A lawyer for the nonprofit groups that filed the lawsuit hailed the case’s successful outcome.
“The government has acknowledged what we argued from day one: The pride flag belongs at Stonewall,” Alexander Kristofcak said. “The flag will be restored, it will fly officially and permanently, and the court will stand ready to enforce that commitment.”
The banner will only be removed for “maintenance or other practical purposes,” according to court documents.
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A judge still needs to approve the agreement between the plaintiffs and defendants.
Days after the administration’s initial decision to remove it from the site, a group of New York Democrats raised a separate pride flag while rallying at the Stonewall memorial in protest. Since then, it remained on the flagpole in an unofficial capacity.