The city of Downey will no longer fly the LGBTQ+ Pride flag after the City Council voted to adopt a “neutral flag policy” restricting the types of flags allowed to be flown on city property.
The Downey City Council adopted the new policy during Tuesday’s regular scheduled council meeting.
The vote passed with a 3-2 majority. Mayor Mario Trujillo and Councilmember Horacio Ortiz were the dissenting votes.
As part of that resolution, only the U.S. flag, state flag, city flag and the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag are allowed to be flown on city property, including Downey City Hall.
Downey first flew the Pride flag three years ago during the month of June, recognized nationally as Pride Month.
Its previous policy allowed for certain “commemorative flags” to be flown for specific historic events or causes if approved by the Council. Wednesday’s action now removes that part of the equation entirely.
Trujillo spoke damningly of the decision, laying the blame on a group of citywide activists that are part of a local chapter of MassResistance, which he said was recognized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.
Members of the group were in attendance during the vote, Trujillo said.
“Their two goals are basically anti-immigration and anti-Pride flag, let’s just be clear,” Trujillo said prior to the vote. “And it’s unfortunate that it was brought about through this hate group who hides behind religion. These are the same families and parents who are prone to kicking out their child who comes out to them. It strikes me as hypocritical when you come here and quote the Bible to try and eradicate the flag.”
Trujillo called the decision to ban flying the Pride flag and other commemorative flags “a step backward for the city.”
That sentiment was echoed in a column by Eric Pierce of the Downey Patriot.
“Tuesday’s vote was the Downey City Council’s conservative majority flexing its muscle. Instead of fostering inclusivity and celebrating diversity, they’re choosing to sow seeds of division. Instead of promoting unity and acceptance, they’re widening the gap between different groups within the city,” Pierce wrote.
Councilmember Claudia Frometa disagreed with the notion that restricting flags flown to the four approved by the city was an attack on any one group.
“We stand united under the flag of this country that flies … whether it’s war, the Olympics, it unites all of us regardless of race color or religion,” Frometa said. “I don’t want this message to be misconstrued and for the mayor’s comments that this council’s decision is a direct attack to the LGBTQ community. That is untrue.”
Frometa and Councilmember Dorothy Pemberton voted in favor of the resolution, as did Mayor Pro Tem Hector Sosa, who motioned for the policy change.
“I don’t think it’s our role as elected officials to pick and choose which groups get to fly their flags,” Sosa said, referencing other requests the council had received to fly other flags for various causes.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes the city of Downey, said she was disappointed with the decision and vowed that the Pride flag would continue to fly at county-owned facilities, including eight in Downey.
“We raise the Pride Flag as a reminder of where we stand: no matter where in L.A. County they may live, LGBTQ+ residents have the unwavering support of their county government,” Hahn said in a statement posted to social media.