(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered city flags to remain at full staff, snubbing proclamations from President Donald Trump and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
A memo from the Los Angeles Fire Department, circulated on social media by journalist Anthony Cabassa, confirmed flags would stay raised each day.
“Flags shall remain to full staff each day and should not be lowered to half-staff unless directed by the Mayor,” the memo read.
🚨A @LAFD source has sent me this internal email, that @MayorOfLA has instructed Los Angeles city flags NOT be displayed at half staff.
“Flags shall remain raised to full staff each day … unless directed by the Mayor.”
This despite @POTUS signing a half-staff proclamation. pic.twitter.com/S5GXLBBPBm
— Anthony (@AnthonyCabassa_) September 13, 2025
Her order came just days after Trump directed U.S. flags be lowered to half-staff in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was viciously murdered while addressing supporters on Monday.
Trump’s proclamation read: “As a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, September 14, 2025.”
Pritzker issued a similar proclamation to honor victims of political violence, while avoiding any direct mention of Kirk.
Bass’s move stands in sharp contrast to how she mourned Cuban dictator Raul Castro’s passing in 2016 when she served in Congress.
“As Cuba begins nine days of mourning, I wish to express my condolences to the Cuban people and the family of Fidel Castro,” she wrote at the time. “The passing of the Comandante en Jefe is a great loss to the people of Cuba. I hope together, our two nations will continue on the new path of support and collaboration with one another, and continue in the new direction of diplomacy.”
Shortly after Kirk was shot, Bass claimed she was “absolutely disgusted” by the attack, saying, “Political violence in all forms is unacceptable and reprehensible. We must all reject it.”
I’m absolutely disgusted by today’s attack on Charlie Kirk. Political violence in all forms is unacceptable and reprehensible. We must all reject it.
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) September 10, 2025
