Upside-Down Flag at Yosemite Sparks Protest and Conversation
Visitors to Yosemite National Park were stunned over the weekend when they spotted an upside-down American flag atop El Capitan, one of the park’s most iconic rock formations. The symbolic gesture wasn’t accidental—it was a bold protest by National Park Service (NPS) employees upset over job cuts under the Trump administration.
A Flag in Distress
Under the U.S. Flag Code, flying the American flag upside down signals “dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.” Park employees used that symbol to voice their frustration about what they see as an ongoing crisis within the NPS.
Job Cuts Trigger Employee Outrage
The Trump administration recently slashed 1,000 jobs from the National Park Service. These cuts affected park rangers, maintenance staff, and environmental specialists across the country.
At Yosemite, employees fear the consequences:
- Unsafe visitor conditions
- Poorly maintained facilities
- A drop in overall park quality
