US Consulate in Canada raises pride flag despite Trump order

The United States Consulate in Toronto raised a rainbow flag over its building in honor of Pride Month in early July despite reports the Trump administration rejected requests from a number of embassies to fly the banner this month.

In footage shared from the consulate’s official Twitter page earlier this month, the rainbow flag could be seen draped over its building to mark Pride Month, HuffPost reported.

“For the 6th year, we are proudly raising this beautiful Pride Flag at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto to mark June as #PrideMonth! @usconstoronto will also march in the @PrideToronto parade to honor #Stonewall50 — one of the landmark moments in the fight for #LGBTQ rights,” the consulate tweeted.

For the 6th year, we are proudly raising this beautiful Pride Flag at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto to mark June as #PrideMonth! @usconstoronto will also march in the @PrideToronto parade to honor #Stonewall50 — one of the landmark moments in the fight for #LGBTQ rights. #PrideTO pic.twitter.com/A2DtyvNcQz

— US Consulate Toronto (@usconstoronto) June 5, 2019

The move comes as several other U.S. embassies and diplomatic missions across the globe have raised rainbow flags to mark Pride Month despite rejections from the Trump administration of requests to fly them.

The Trump administration reportedly turned away requests from at least four U.S. embassies – Israel, Germany, Brazil and Latvia –  to hoist the pride flag on flagpoles in June.

Though the State Department’s policy dictates that embassies are expected to receive permission from administration officials to be able to fly the flag, several diplomats said earlier this year that they were told their requests would have to be specifically approved. 

A State Department spokesperson said earlier this month that embassies are permitted to hang the rainbow Pride flag or display other Pride images without violating the State Department’s directive, but flag poles should be reserved for the U.S. flag.

–This report was updated on June 23 at 11:55 a.m.