Pride flag flies in Downey once again, but only at LA County buildings

DOWNEY, Calif. (KABC) -- After the Downey City Council adopted a "neutral'' flag policy, the Pride flag now flies at eight Los Angeles County-owned properties in the area.

Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the county's 1st District, which includes Downey and other southeast cities, held a celebration Monday to raise the Pride flag outside the county Office of Education in Downey in honor of Pride Month.

Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo joined Hahn as well as county Assessor Jeffrey Prang and county Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community and elected officials from across the county.

However, you still won't see the Pride flag outside Downey City Hall or at city-owned buildings, which has many people, including Trujillo, outraged.

"Pride was not born out of a need to celebrate, Pride was born out of a need to survive," said the mayor, who's gay.

A few weeks ago, the five-member Downey City Council voted 3-2 to adopt a neutral flag policy, which limits which flags can be displayed on city-owned and maintained property. Trujillo and City Councilman Horatio Ortizvoted against the policy.

"At the Downey City Council meeting on May 14, 2024, the City Council, by majority vote, and effectively immediately, moved to limit the flags flown on City-owned flagpoles to the following flags: (1) the United States Flag, (2) the California state flag, (3) the City of Downey flag, and (4) the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag,'' according to a statement from Axel Perez-Beltran, a spokesman for the city of Downey.

"You are out of touch with your community," said Trujillo. "Downey is a loving, accepting city. I hate the fact that we're embroiled in news across America because three of my colleagues, instead of choosing to be allies and stand for the people they promised to represent, chose to stand with a hate group and that is wrong."

Hahn invited the three councilmembers who voted for the neutral flag policy to Monday's celebration but they did not attend.

Supporters of LGBTQ+ rights and members of the Downey community came to transform the city's decision into an opportunity to spread love, not hate.

"What we're doing here today sends a signal, not just in Downey, not just in L.A. County, but across the country that it's important for all of us to remember to exercise love whenever we can as opposed to exercising hate and bigotry," said Hahn.

Trujillo said seeing the Pride flag back up in Downey makes his community safer, saying 45% of LGBTQ+ teens will consider suicide.

"If I can save one life, I've done my job," he said.

County officials are expected to raise the Pride Flag at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration Tuesday morning. The city of Los Angeles last week updated their flag policy and raised the Pride flag.

Last year, the county Board of Supervisors voted to raise the Progress Pride Flag at several government buildings.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.