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Federal Way council deadlocks on restoring Junth and Pride flags after weeks of public comment
Summary
After hours of public comment and debate, the Federal Way City Council rejected motions to expand the list of flags flown at City Hall and to add Junth and Pride to the approved list; the months-long dispute reflected sharp divisions among residents over neutrality and civic recognition.
Federal Way's City Council debated and ultimately rejected proposed changes to the city's flag policy on June 16, following a lengthy public-comment period in which dozens of residents, veterans, business owners and community leaders urged both sides.
The current city flag policy restricts flown flags to the U.S. flag, the Washington state flag and the city flag (plus mandated flags such as POW/MIA when required by law). Assistant City Attorney Adam Gadbury briefed council on the governing legal framework, including a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that distinguishes government speech (where the city may choose which messages to present) from an open public forum (which would require neutral access for private speakers).
What happened at the meeting: Dozens of speakers urged restoration of the Junth and Pride flags at City Hall; others and multiple residents urged maintaining strict neutrality for government flag poles or expanding the set of recognized flags to include items such as sister-city flags, tribal flags and flags associated with council-approved proclamations. After committee and council motions, an amendment to broaden approved flags failed and a separate motion to add Junth and Pride to the city's approved list also failed on recorded votes.
Why it matters: The dispute divided community groups and has prompted repeated public testimony, reflecting broader questions about how local governments acknowledge cultural observances without appearing to choose winners among groups. City attorneys told council the governing legal option is to adopt an explicit government-speech policy that either enumerates approved flags or opens the forum (with constitutional risk).
What council did: Council considered, debated and ultimately voted down multiple proposals to change the flag policy this meeting. Several council members said they will continue to seek an inclusive, workable policy; others emphasized the need to keep government infrastructure neutral.
What's next: Council members indicated they will continue discussions — some suggested developing a citywide mechanism for commemorative recognitions tied to proclamations or a managed application process for flags, while others argued the current, restrictive policy should remain in place.
