Interest in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's personal life has surged online after he publicly condemned the removal of a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument — a move that quickly spiralled into backlash, culture war arguments and intense social media speculation.

Thecontroversybegan when the National Park Service removed the rainbow Pride flag from a flagpole at the historic Stonewall site, citing a January directive from the Department of the Interior that limits which flags may be displayed on federal land.

The guidance allows only the US flag, Interior Department flag, POW/MIA flag and approved banners. Officials said the change was meant to ensure consistency across federal sites.

Stonewall, located near Christopher Park and the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan, is widely regarded as the birthplace of the modern Lesbian and Gay rights movement and was designated a national monument by former PresidentBarack Obamain 2016.

Soon after the flag was removed, Mamdani posted a strongly worded statement on X.

'New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history'

I am outraged by the removal of the Rainbow Pride Flag from Stonewall National Monument. New York is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and no act of erasure will ever change, or silence, that history.Our city has a duty not just to honor this legacy, but to…

He added that the city had a duty to 'invest in our LGBTQ+ community' and 'protect every one of our neighbours—without exception.'

Other Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, also criticised the move, stating their stance to always stand by the LGBTQIA+ Community:

The removal of the Pride Rainbow Flag from the Stonewall National Monument is a deeply outrageous action that must be reversed right now. Stonewall is a landmark because it is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, and symbols of that legacy belong there by both…pic.twitter.com/BjzLF1Me59

Source: International Business Times UK