After putting up Pride flags on town property, Erie took them down — setting off concerns from the public — after someone complained about the flag, according to a town spokesperson. Amid the complaint, town officials noticed flying the flag didn’t line up with town policy.

The discrepancy centered around the absence of a state or federal proclamation related to Pride flags. The town reinstated the flags in late June, just days after taking them down, after a signed proclamation from Gov. Jared Polis that recognized June as Pride Month, according to town spokesperson Gabi Rae.

On town flagpoles, Erie’s policy allows flying of flags associated with official proclamations or orders of the president or Colorado’s governor. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said around early June that President Donald Trump has “no plans for a proclamation,” the Associated Press wrote. The town of Erie has been flying the Pride flag since 2021, according to Rae.

“We assumed that there would either be a proclamation, and if not, there would probably be one at the state level,” Rae said, adding: “We revisited the policy (and) realized we did not have a proclamation at the state level and had to take them down.”

Any future potential change to the town’s policy remains undecided and up to the Erie Town Council’s discretion. The council may discuss the policy in August, according to Rae.

Amid the public concern, the town issued a statement June 23, saying it “reaffirms its deep commitment to inclusion, equity, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals.”

“I want to reiterate my unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community. I understand that this situation has generated significant emotion, and I acknowledge the importance and symbolism of the Pride flag for many in our community,” Mayor Andrew Moore said in the statement.

The Pride flag was scheduled and was put up June 1 in support of Pride month, Rae said. Erie facilities including the police facility, town hall and the cemetery received the flags, accompanying the American flag, she said.

Some members of the public spoke about the matter June 24 at the Town Council meeting, where the mayor also spoke.

“I was still learning in the process because I didn’t know about the specifics of the flag policy when this all started,” Moore said at the meeting.

“The flag was taken down quietly, no explanation … now imagine the message that this council sent,” Kelly Wagner-Grull said at the meeting.

Amid the comments from adults, a child also stepped up to the microphone to address the council.

“Seeing that flag means a lot — it means that our friends at school who have two moms or two dads are welcome,” the child said, adding: “The flag means if you feel a little different on the inside, they know they are not alone and the town is a safe place to be themselves.”

The mayor said: “I want you all to know that I was listening.”

“And we will wrestle with this topic … in the future long before June shows up in 2026,” Moore said at the end of the Town Council meeting.

The council is expected to revisit the flag policy and continue discussion around it in August.

“We will be initiating that review with a focus on honoring significant observances and communities in a consistent and legally sound way,” Moore said in the town’s statement.

“I believe in an inclusive community where everyone, regardless of their background, beliefs, or identity — gay, straight, bi, trans, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and all others — is valued and respected as a human being,” Moore also said in the statement. “This conviction is deep in my soul.”