Two NJ towns face Pride disputes days before June celebrations begin

🏳️‍🌈West Orange removed its rainbow steps ahead of Memorial Day events at town hall

🏳️‍🌈Activists are planning a rally before Pride Month begins

🏳️‍🌈Boonton’s mayor vetoed a measure to allow Pride flags on borough poles

Pride will not be on display in at least two New Jersey towns when Pride Month begins on June 1.

West Orange's "rainbow steps," which have been in place at town hall since 2022, were removed at the beginning of May for "necessary restoration and repair work" for safety reasons ahead of the Memorial Day commemoration, which was expected to draw large crowds. Mayor Susan McCarthy acknowledged the poor timing of the removal and said the township is working on  "a meaningful Pride event in June."

The mayor's explanation did not satisfy Brielle Winslow-Majette, resident and acting executive director of Garden State Equality. She does not believe there is a plan to restore the colors to the steps. Instead, she led a group that restored the colors with chalk.

"They can wash away the rainbow, but they can’t wash away our pride," Winslow-Majette said in a video that shows people using chalk to create a rainbow on the steps.

McCarthy was disappointed that Winslow-Majette took matters into her own hands and engaged in "defiant activism" instead of working together with "mutual respect for both one another and the policies that govern public spaces."

"While advocacy and peaceful expression are important parts of civic life, actions that intentionally disregard established policies and procedures place the Township in a difficult position and undermine the spirit of collaboration necessary to move community conversations forward productively," McCarthy said.

Winslow-Majette is planning a rainbow steps rally at town hall Sunday at 4 p.m.

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Boonton mayor vetoes Pride flag ordinance approved by council

Boonton will not be flying the Pride flag on municipal flag poles after Mayor James Lynch vetoed an ordinance approved by the town council by a 5-4 vote that would have changed the existing flag policy.

The Republican mayor said he was concerned that the ordinance would have required "virtually any flag to now be allowed, some of which residents could find offensive."

Lynch expressed support for the Pride flag and the principles of "positivity and inclusion" it stands for and flies one on the flagpole at his home. He believes that the American flag represents all.

"I stand by my belief that while we are free to display whatever we wish at our own homes, municipal flagpoles should be limited to only U.S. and military flags," Lynch said.

The group Boonton Rainbow Pride said Lynch is making "the entire town follow only his personal agenda." They said Lynch waited until the meeting room was empty to announce his veto.

"It also means we continue. We continue to look to each other and know this is the right path. We love you Boonton," the group said.

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