Overview

• An upside-down U.S. flag, a traditional signal of distress, was hung on Yosemite's El Capitan by staff protesting recent federal job cuts.
• The Trump administration terminated 1,000 National Park Service employees, citing efforts to streamline government operations.
• Protesters argue the layoffs threaten the sustainability of public lands and raise fears of privatization and resource extraction.
• The terminations included nearly a dozen Yosemite employees, leaving critical park maintenance and visitor services understaffed.
• The symbolic protest coincided with Yosemite's 'firefall' event, drawing attention from visitors and sparking public debate over the future of national parks.