Fountain Valley Bans Flying Gay Pride Flag On City Property

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA -- The City Council has approved a policy that bars non-governmental flags, such as those expressing gay pride, from being flown on municipal property.

The five-member Council voted unanimously in favor of the ban during its June 11 business meeting. June also happens to be LGBT Pride Month.

The newly enacted policy limits public displays by the city to four specific flags: United States, California, Fountain Valley and POW/MIA. The flags of official sister cities of Fountain Valley may also be flown under the policy.

"The City’s flagpoles and flag-stands are not intended to serve as a forum for expression by the public," city officials explained in a staff report on the matter that was presented to the City Council. "As an expression of the City’s own government speech, the City shall only fly flags of government agencies recognized by the United States and located within the United States."

Seven residents who turned out for the meeting used the public comment portion of the proceedings to express their opposition to the policy, stating that the city could and should be allowed to fly the rainbow flag -- a symbol of the LGBTQ community -- on city-owned grounds.

The ban against non-governmental flags doesn't just apply to city grounds, but also to all city-owned property, including police and fire vehicles.