‘Distress flag’ flies over Yosemite to protest cuts as crowds view firefall

An American flag was hung upside down over El Capitan in Yosemite National Park over the weekend to protest the firings of federal staff by the Trump administration. 

What happened? 

The Trump administration has laid off around 1,000 National Park Service employees, including custodians, wildlife specialists, and seasonal workers.

It’s raised concerns about the maintenance, safety, and welfare of wildlife in places like Yosemite National Park.

In a sign of protest, six demonstrators rappelled down the mountain to hang the inverted American flag on Saturday. 

Still images taken from video showing inverted U.S. flag at Yosemite National Park. (Credit: Anand K Sankaran via Storyful)

Flying the flag upside down

Flying the American flag upside down is not a new concept. It is often done during times of distress or unrest, according to Americanflags.com.

Dig deeper:

The flag can be flown upside down in several cases, including: 

1. During natural disasters
2. Civil unrest
3. War and conflict
4. Political turmoil
5. Personal distress

There have been some notable instances in American history when the flag was flown upside down. 

1. Overturning of Roe v. Wade
2. The Flint, Michigan, water crisis
3. Sept. 11 terrorist attack

Federal workers laid off

What we know:

Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first month of President Donald Trump’s administration as the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for "large-scale reductions in force" and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.

What we don't know:

There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs.