Salt Lake City and Boise make pride flags official city emblems, skirting flag ban laws

SALT LAKE CITY — The Democratic controlled cities of Salt Lake City and Boise adopted new city flags this week showing support for LGBTQ+ people in defiance of their states' Republican-controlled Legislatures, which have banned traditional rainbow pride flags at schools and government buildings.

Utah's capital of Salt Lake City created new flag designs while Boise, the capital of Idaho, made the traditional pride flag one of its official city flags. The move in Utah came hours before a ban on unsanctioned flag displays took effect Wednesday.

The cities' mayors spoke Tuesday morning to discuss their individual plans and offer each other support, said Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall's office.

''My sincere intent is not to provoke or cause division,'' Mendenhall said. ''My intent is to represent our city's values and honor our dear diverse residents who make up this beautiful city and the legacy of pain and progress that they have endured.''

Idaho's flag ban took effect April 3, barring government buildings from displaying any flags except those on a short list including the U.S. flag, flags of military branches and official flags of government entities. A separate ban containing some exemptions for school buildings takes effect July 1.

Supporters said the laws would encourage political neutrality from teachers and other government employees. Opponents argued they aimed to erase LGBTQ+ expression and wrest authority from cities and towns that did not align politically with the Republican Legislatures.

More than a dozen other states are considering similar measures.

The pride flag has regularly flown over Boise's City Hall for years, and Mayor Lauren McLean kept the flag aloft even after Idaho's law took effect. McLean said she believed the law was unenforceable.

But Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador recently warned he would ask lawmakers to add an enforcement mechanism in the 2026 legislative session.

Under the Utah law, state or local government buildings can be fined $500 a day for flying any flag other than the U.S. flag, the state flag, a city or county flag, military flags, Olympic and Paralympic flags, official college flags or tribal flags. Political flags are not allowed.

Last week, McLean responded to the Idaho law by issuing a proclamation retroactively making the pride flag an official city flag, along with a flag honoring organ donors. It allowed both to be flown alongside Boise's traditional blue flag featuring the Capitol building and the slogan ''City of Trees.''

The city council voted 5 to 1 for the proclamation during a packed and sometimes rowdy meeting Tuesday night.

''Removing the flag now after years of flying it proudly would not be a neutral act,'' said council member Meredith Stead. ''It would signal a retreat from values we've long upheld and send a disheartening message to those who have found affirmation and belonging through its presence at city hall.''

Some in attendance held pride flags while others waved the U.S. flag. At times, shouts erupted, prompting a brief recess.

Utah in March became the first state to enact a ban on unsanctioned flags at all government buildings. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox let the bill become law without his signature. He said he thought it went too far in regulating local governments but chose not to reject it because his veto would likely be overridden by the Legislature.

Utah's law does not explicitly mention LGBTQ+ pride flags, but the bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Trevor Lee, repeatedly stated he aimed to ban them.

Council members in Salt Lake City unanimously approved new designs Tuesday evening, adding the city's emblem — a sego lily — atop the traditional rainbow LGBTQ+ pride flag and the blue, pink and white transgender flag. They also adopted a red and blue flag for Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrated on June 19 that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.

Utah's Republican House Speaker Mike Schultz called that a ''clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.''

''This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all,'' Schultz said. ''Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics.''

Other Idaho communities are also grappling with the restriction.

City buildings in Bonners Ferry, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the Canadian border, have long flown Canada's flag in a sign of cross-border friendship, removing it only in April after Idaho's governor approved the flag restriction.

But the law contains an exception that allows government entities to fly the flags of other countries during ''special occasions.'' Seeking to again fly the flag year-round, the Bonners Ferry City Council passed a resolution Tuesday designating every day of the year a ''special occasion'' to commemorate friendship with Canada.

___ Boone reported from Boise, Idaho.