{"id":2590091,"date":"2026-04-13T10:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T14:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lgbt-activists-rage-after-coffee-chain-removes-its-rainbow-flags\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T10:43:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T14:43:53","slug":"lgbt-activists-rage-after-coffee-chain-removes-its-rainbow-flags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lgbt-activists-rage-after-coffee-chain-removes-its-rainbow-flags\/","title":{"rendered":"LGBT Activists Rage After Coffee Chain Removes Its Rainbow Flags"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flgbt-activists-rage-after-coffee-chain-removes-its-rainbow-flags%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2590091&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Philz Coffee, a San Francisco-born chain with locations in California and Chicago, announced it will remove Pride flags from all stores, triggering activist backlash. CEO Mahesh Sadarangani said the move is about creating a more consistent, inclusive store appearance and removing a variety of flags and decor, but it does not reflect a change in the company\u2019s support for the LGBTQIA+ community. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >decision drew criticism<\/a> from employees and customers, with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dcs-hotel-harrington-closes-for-january-6-pro-trump-march-after-pressure-over-proud-boys\/\" title=\"DC\u2019s Hotel Harrington Closes for January 6 Pro-Trump March After Pressure Over Proud Boys\">online petition<\/a> gathering thousands of signatures and threats of boycott noted by KRON-TV. SF Pride\u2019s executive director Suzanne Ford criticized the removal, arguing that Pride flags symbolize safe, welcoming spaces for many in the community. The controversy highlights tensions between corporate decor decisions and commitments to inclusion, even as Philz emphasizes that allyship and Pride Month celebrations remain part of its values.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-loses-his-business-after-insulting-lebron-james-on-facebook\/\" title=\"Man Loses His Business After Insulting LeBron James On Facebook\">coffee chain<\/a> with locations across California&rsquo;s Bay Area announced that it will remove &ldquo;pride&rdquo; flags from all of its locations, sparking activist backlash toward the company.<\/p>\n<p>Philz Coffee CEO Mahesh Sadarangani confirmed in a statement to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kron4.com\/news\/bay-area\/philz-coffee-ceo-confirms-pride-flags-will-be-removed-from-stores\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KRON-TV<\/a> that the flag would be removed from all stores, some of which are located in the Chicago area as well.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do. Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged,&rdquo; Sadarangani said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Philz Coffee, a San Francisco-born coffee chain, will remove Pride flags from all of its locations, the company said Wednesday, after an online petition criticizing the move spread rapidly on social media. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XgV9NVWCVp\">https:\/\/t.co\/XgV9NVWCVp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sfchronicle\/status\/2042012406948241831?\">April 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadAnyclip() { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst container=document.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!container) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=\"https:\/\/player.anyclip.com\/anyclip-widget\/lre-widget\/prod\/v1\/src\/lre.js\"; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"pubname\", \"westernjournalcom\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"widgetname\", \"001w000001jULVcAAO_M12924\");  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ append inside the container so player shows in correct spot \t\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadAnyclip(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #anyclipvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#anyclipvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Sadarangani made sure to clarify that &ldquo;our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>But the move was swiftly met with backlash &mdash; including from Philz Coffee&rsquo;s own activist staff.<\/p>\n<p>They said in an online <a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/urge-philz-coffee-to-keep-pride-flags-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">petition<\/a>, which has earned around 5,000 signatures, that the removal of the &ldquo;pride&rdquo; flags has &ldquo;left many team members and customers feeling confounded and unsupported.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-oregon-school-board-may-require-classrooms-to-fly-blm-pride-flags\/\" title=\"WATCH: Oregon School Board May Require Classrooms To Fly BLM, Pride ...\">pride flags<\/a> within the stores hold deep meaning and value to both staff and visitors, symbolizing that these locations are safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,&rdquo; they claimed.<\/p>\n<p>By reinstating the flags, the signatories believe that &ldquo;Philz will reaffirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion, aligning its values with the community it serves.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>KRON-TV also spoke to Philz Coffee patrons who were not pleased.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It would be a huge mistake because the gay population won&rsquo;t stand for it,&rdquo; one customer threatened. &ldquo;We will boycott this place if that&rsquo;s the case.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>SF Pride executive director Suzanne Ford issued a statement against the removal of the flags as well.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what makes moments like this one sting. It may seem small, but removing a Pride flag sends a message, and for many in this neighborhood, it feels like another blow right at home.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The &ldquo;pride&rdquo; flag, which has several alternate versions encompassing homosexuality, transgenderism, and other such behaviors, originated in the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Philz Coffee, a San Francisco-based chain with Bay Area locations and some stores in the Chicago area, said it will remove Pride flags from all of its shops. CEO Mahesh Sadarangani told KRON-TV that, although the company has long supported the LGBTQIA+ community, it wants to offer a more consistent, inclusive experience by removing certain flags and other d\u00e9cor. He emphasized that this change concerns how stores look, not the company\u2019s identity or values.<\/p>\n<p>The decision followed an online petition criticizing the move, which quickly gained traction on social media. Activists and some Philz staff argued that Pride flags carry meaning and symbolize safe, welcoming spaces for staff and customers, and they urged reinstatement to reinforce Philz\u2019s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Some customers also expressed dissatisfaction and even threatened boycotts. SF Pride\u2019s executive director Suzanne Ford condemned the removal, saying even small gestures like taking down a Pride flag can feel like a setback to the community.<\/p>\n<p>The Pride flag originated in the Bay Area. Sadarangani stressed that allyship goes beyond decor, pointing to hiring practices and the annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which will return this June<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2590092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Michael-Featured-Image-908.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4091,77669,5520,77668],"class_list":["post-2590091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-activists","tag-coffee-chain","tag-lgbt","tag-rainbow-flags"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Michael-Featured-Image-908.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2590091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2590091"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2590091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2590095,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2590091\/revisions\/2590095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2590092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2590091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2590091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2590091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}