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When I first came to the UK nearly four decades ago, I left behind a broken country called Lebanon, where all the various flags had become symbols marking the communal, religious and ideological divides and the dominance of different militias. It would not be an exaggeration to say that all the flags of the political and religious parties, and even foreign flags, were more prevalent in the dark days of Lebanon’s civil war than the Lebanese national flag.
In those days, running street battles were fought because one political party or militia’s flag encroached on an area controlled by another, with dozens often killed or injured and the city terrorized by yet another wave of violence.
For me, like many others, the demarcation and raising of flags were not innocent individual acts of belonging and pride or communal expressions of joy or grievances. Rather, they were surely driven by some type of activism or motivated by clear political or military aims.
Ever since those events, I have been wary of people flying flags and other symbols for a cause or in solidarity with something. My first visit to Belfast, to attend a wedding in the late 1980s, when the Troubles were still ongoing in Northern Ireland, brought me face to face with old scars.
Moving between nationalist and unionist neighborhoods in Belfast very much reminded me of my old life in Beirut. In those days, there were checkpoints, barricades and armed soldiers, although the levels of violence were nowhere near those regularly seen in Beirut. But the different areas dominated by the opposing factions and groups were marked by all types of flags raised on poles, painted on pavements or portrayed in murals.
The surge of flag waving in the UK should be a cause for reflection about what is happening communally in the country
Mohamed Chebaro
All these memories have come crashing back as flags are increasingly being waved in the UK, not to celebrate but to taunt and intimidate, in what often looks like a peaceful act of self-expression, solidarity or opposition.
The recent surge of flag waving at protests in the UK, whether supporting Palestine or Israel or those aimed at boosting the supposedly flagging English patriotism in the face of an “invasion” of migrants, should be a cause for reflection about what is happening communally in the country.
Observing the various recent protests and counterprotests related to hotels housing asylum seekers, one ought to ask whether they are a sign of the beginning of the end of multicultural Britain. Is tolerance being eclipsed, with flags weaponized to fly the colors of hate and fragmentation above the values of social cohesion, unity and the respect of law and order as a cornerstone of patriotism, inclusion and civility?
The UK’s relationship with its flag is surely different than that of the US or elsewhere in the world, where patriotism is heavily anchored in the symbolism of the flag. During the run-up to Brexit, amid the divisions between those wanting to remain and those wanting to leave the EU, the Union Jack became more prominent than ever before — apart, of course, from times of celebration, such as sporting victories or a monarch’s birthday.
After Brexit, however, Conservative prime ministers resorted to raising the Union Jack as a symbol of Britain taking back political and security control. Since then, the flag has been more visible at government institutions, although many have questioned if the drumming up of such symbols of independence is meant as a distraction from how meager the returns have been from leaving the EU.
Many believe it is aimed at whipping up tensions over immigration in the hope that this can be capitalized on politically
Mohamed Chebaro
Another no less alarming use of flags came in the pro-Palestine protests calling for an end to the Gaza war. In those early days of the conflict following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, pro-Palestinian activists were seen driving in heavily Jewish neighborhoods in North London, brandishing flags from noisy car convoys. Similarly, the sight of Israeli flags started to dominate during protests held in support of Israeli actions in Gaza or those calling for the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Most alarming, however, is the flag waving that is going on across England, with the red and white of the Saint George’s Cross being raised in various towns and cities up and down the country. Locals have been giving many different reasons for hanging the flag on poles or painting white mini roundabouts with the red cross. Many claim it is about patriotism and civic pride, while others talk about immigration or say it is a reaction to others raising the Palestinian flag.
Though many claim their activities are crowdfunded and motivated by pride and patriotism, others believe such practices are straight out of the playbook of the right-wing populists and are aimed at whipping up tensions over immigration in the hope that this can be capitalized on politically.
The movement seems to be spreading on social media under the banner of “Operation Raise the Colours.” Maybe it is a grassroots group looking to promote pride and patriotism, but the Saint George’s Cross has often been associated with far-right parties like the British National Party. One should beware the excuses given by those involved that this is a natural expression of patriotism and nothing to do with prejudice, as the campaign’s own Facebook page promotes a so-called free speech rally in September that will feature far-right figureheads, as well as posts about future protests outside asylum hotels.
Despite the many explanations offered regarding the cause of this uptick in the flying of flags across the country, one should not naively write off those involved as people who feel ignored and are trying to attract government attention. These actions are not done by extremists who use data efficiently and target their messages for a specific audience. This is more likely an exercise in sowing chaos and division that is made possible by an unpoliced social media realm. Soon, the hostile environment that they claim to fear will become institutionalized under the pretext of fending off so-called foreign invaders. Examples of anti-immigrant actions in America are rife and those reaping the benefits of such narratives in Europe are right-wing populist parties, for good or for bad.
- Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years’ experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.