LA MESA, Calif. — A proposal to take down the LGBTQ+ Pride flag in front of La Mesa City Hall during June's Pride month was met with a torrent of criticism.
"City Hall I believe should remain neutral and avoid the appearance of bias, negative or positive for or against any group," said council member Laura Lothian, who made the proposal .
"Members of the public should be able to conduct government business at City Hall without encountering political messaging," she added.
Lothian, who also unsuccessfully argued last year to have the Pride flag taken down in front of City Hall, was met Tuesday with more than forty speakers lashing out against her proposal.
In the end, Lothian did not even make a formal motion on her proposal, knowing that it would not pass the council.
"We need solidarity now more than ever," aid one speaker. " We are under attack. You can not remain neutral in this instance- to remain neutral is to side with the oppressor."
"The Pride flag is the symbol of unity and reflect the diversity of all La Mesa," added another.
"If you are proud to be an American you should see that flag; if you are proud to be a Californian you should see that flag!" said La Mesa resident Jen Lothspeich.
"So not only should we have a rainbow flag, we should have a Trans flag, we should have Black Lives Matter flag," she added. "Let's move forward, not backward!"
Several speakers pointed to the hundreds of anti-LGBTQ piece of legislation now being considered -- and in some cases passed -- throughout the nation.
"We must speak out against hatred and more, counter it with compassion and solidarity and truth," said one speaker.
Alpine resident Mary Davis was the sole speaker in support of this move to take down the Pride flag.
"I'm really looking for the city to be neutral," she told CBS 8, "because if we go down the identity politics rabbit hole, where does it end?"
But La Mesa resident Craig Reed said that seeing the Pride flag fly above City Hall is a powerful statement of acceptance and inclusion for all people and all groups.
"Knowing that the city was acting on its values... it was saying that we see you ad we welcome you," Reed said, "and I think that is an important message everybody should feel."
WATCH RELATED: Number of Americans self-identifying as LGBTQ+ has doubled in the last ten years (Feb 28, 2022)