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3mo ago

Yosemite Workers Hang Upside-Down Flag to Protest National Park Job Cuts

The display highlights distress over the Trump administration's layoffs of 1,000 National Park Service employees, raising concerns about park sustainability and safety.

Image
National park employees hoist an American flag upside-down on Yosemite National Park's summit El Capitan on Saturday.
Visitors take in a view of Bridalveil Fall on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Yosemite National Park, California.
The U.S. flag is seen upside down at Yosemite National Park, California, in a photo taken by a Reddit user on February 22, 2025.

Overview

  • Yosemite National Park employees unfurled an upside-down American flag on El Capitan during the Firefall event, a symbolic distress signal to protest mass layoffs in the National Park Service.
  • The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently terminated 1,000 National Park Service employees, impacting park operations nationwide.
  • Park staff and advocates warn that reduced staffing threatens visitor safety, park maintenance, and wildlife protection, with some parks already reducing hours and services.
  • The protest is part of a broader wave of resistance to federal budget cuts and layoffs, which have also affected agencies like USAID and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
  • The administration has faced backlash, prompting plans to restore 50 park jobs and hire additional seasonal workers, though concerns about long-term sustainability remain.