Flags flew at half-staff across West Hollywood on Monday following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham — but the move quickly sparked a vicious backlash from locals.
The flags at West Hollywood City Hall and other city-owned properties were lowered under a presidential proclamation and the city’s flag policy, which requires officials to follow federal directives for the deaths of certain public officials.
Despite the mandatory protocol, social media erupted with criticism after news of the tribute, first reported by the WeHo Times, spread.
“Why would we in the city of West Hollywood honor this. This is asssss backwards,” one Instagram user wrote.
Another added: “They should have doubled the height of every flagpole in the city and proudly flown the flags as high as possible!”
Many critics pointed to Graham’s voting record on LGBTQ+ issues, noting he supported a constitutional amendment that sought to ban same-sex marriage nationwide in 2006.
One commenter summarized those positions, sarcastically writing: “He called himself ‘a proud defender of traditional marriage.’ THE END.”
Others questioned why West Hollywood — long regarded as one of the nation’s most prominent LGBTQ+ communities and home to the iconic Rainbow District — would lower its Pride flags in honor of a senator whose record they viewed as hostile to LGBTQ+ rights.
“Lowering the LGBTQ+ flag for the death of a homophobic person is just pathetic,” one person wrote. Another added: “West Hollywood should have given the president the middle finger and said, ‘No thanks.’”
Not everyone agreed with the criticism, however.
Some residents defended the city, saying officials were simply complying with legal requirements rather than making a political statement.
“It’s the law. And all other flags must fly lower than the American flag,” one commenter wrote.
Another added: “If they don’t do this they will get in serious trouble. Any sitting politician who dies like this they will always do this. No need to get angry and just move on with your life.”
The controversy follows the city’s adoption of an updated flag policy in October 2025.
Under the rules, city-owned flags must be displayed in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code, meaning when the American flag is ordered to half-staff, other flags displayed alongside it — including Pride flags — must also be lowered.
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The policy requires the city to observe presidential orders marking the deaths of senior government officials. For members of Congress, including U.S. senators, flags are lowered on the day of death and the following day.
Graham, who represented South Carolina in the Senate for more than two decades, died suddenly over the weekend.
Preliminary findings released by the medical examiner say an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the main artery that carries blood away from the heart, killed him.
The medical examiner stated this was caused by hardened arteries and cardiovascular disease. He passed away suddenly at the age of 71
Tributes poured in from political allies across both parties, with many praising his decades of public service and influence on national security and foreign policy.
Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late U.S. Senator, was appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to serve the remainder of his term. She will fill the seat as an interim senator until January 2027. South Carolina voters will choose a new senator in the November election
