WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The West Hollywood City Council agreed to weave the colors of the rainbow banner into the new city flag to acknowledge its large homosexual community.
The decision Friday was aimed at mollifying critics who complained the city was removing the familiar gay rainbow flag from City Hall and replacing it with a more conventional flag.
"This has been a very exciting debate," said Mayor Pro Tem John D'Amico. "I think flying a rainbow flag at City Hall is perhaps not as interesting as flying the City of West Hollywood adopted flag that has the rainbow on it."
The new flag includes a city logo featuring rainbow colors. The same logo has been on city vehicles and patrol cars from the local sheriff's sub-station for years.
The five-member council, which includes four homosexuals, voted to remove the rainbow flag in accordance with standard practices of displaying only the U.S., state and city flags on municipal buildings, the Los Angeles Times said.
Councilman John Duncan, who is gay, said the gesture demonstrates West Hollywood is "not just a city of gay men."
