In June, 2020 a request was made of the Town of Holliston, Massachusetts to fly the Pride Flag from the flagpole in front of Town Hall in celebration of Pride Month.
That request was denied with the explanation that the flagpole was reserved for “American Patriotic” flags.
After citizen complaint, permission was given to fly the flag from the front of the Town Hall building, but not from the flagpole.
In January, 2024, that permission was unanimously revoked by the Select Board.
This was in violation of the precedent set by having displayed it for the previous four years.
The Select Board stated that the new Town Flag Policy prohibiting the Pride Flag from Town Hall and from the Library is based on the January, 2024 MMA webinar discussing flag flying practices, coupled with the guidance of Town Counsel.
This claim is inconsistent with the actual contents of the webinar and other towns have created legally protective flag policies that incorporate displaying the Pride Flag.
Communication records with Town Counsel have been sealed by the town; meaning that any Town Counsel guidance given to Holliston is unavailable.
Since the new policy has gone into effect, the town of Holliston has violated it at least twice in order to fly American Legion, VFW, and Irish flags. This places Holliston in a questionable legal position and weakens any claims of protection that a new policy could offer.
The Pride Flag has yet to be flown from the flagpole at Holliston Town Hall, and the resistance of the Select Board to doing so goes back to 2020.
