Is it just me and Gary Neville?

[Lance Dopestrong]

I have been distressed by the profusion of illegally flown Union flags bedecking lampposts in Exeter...

Distressed? Thats a bit strong.

Im Jewish and dont get distressed by the various flags that disagree with my own religious ideology. I just ignore them.

Compared to some of the stuff we see a union flag is pretty tame.

[deeferdonk]

I have been distressed by the profusion of illegally flown Union flags bedecking lampposts in Exeter...

Distressed? Thats a bit strong.

Im Jewish and dont get distressed by the various flags that disagree with my own religious ideology. I just ignore them.

Compared to some of the stuff we see a union flag is pretty tame.

My wife who is the daughter of an immigrant was also a bit distressed by flags being cable tied to lamp posts and red crosses painted shonkily on our local road infrastructure.

It's not the flag itself that distressed her but the intention behind a racist campaign started by racists, that indicated that people in our local community were racist, and potentially a threat to her and her family.

Quote from Hope not Hate:

While there is nothing wrong with flying the nation’s flags, HOPE not hate can reveal that the key organisers behind much of this activism are hardened and extreme far-right activists.

While many instances of flags being raised, or crosses being painted on roundabouts or walls, are being carried out by ordinary people inspired by posts on social media, the main organising force behind the campaign is “Operation Raise the Colours”.

HOPE not hate can reveal that the co-founder and organiser of the group is longtime Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) ally Andrew Currien (AKA Andy Saxon). Formerly a key member of the English Defence League’s leadership bodyguard team, and now running security for the far-right party Britain First, Currien has previously been jailed for his part in a racist death. He was one of six men convicted in 2009 after a 59-year-old man was crushed to death by a car following a violent brawl.

As she grew up listening to stories from her father about being chased by the far right and being a victim of "P-word" bashing - she obviously has fears that we are slipping back that way.

And i think she was right to be, judging by our local facebook group. When a picture was posted of a young man taking down one of the flags, people didn't seem concerned to post under their real names in trying to form a lynch mob to track him down for being a "traitor". As well as seeing in the news coverage of men shouting at and attempting to burn down hotels with refugees in.

[mattheus]

My wife who is the daughter of an immigrant was also a bit distressed by flags being cable tied to lamp posts and red crosses painted shonkily on our local road infrastructure.

It's not the flag itself that distressed her but the intention behind a racist campaign started by racists, that indicated that people in our local community were racist, and potentially a threat to her and her family.

Well exactly. I really hope we "reclaim*" the English+GB flags at some point, and can fly them to show pride in our nation/society - but we aren't there yet.
Those denying the racist intents are clearly either naive, or arguing in bad faith.

Meanwhile, let's all remember the potential real-world consequences:

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/20 ... -jack-flag


*This may not be the perfect word... TBC ...

[roubaixtuesday]

I have been distressed by the profusion of illegally flown Union flags bedecking lampposts in Exeter...

Distressed? Thats a bit strong.

Im Jewish and dont get distressed by the various flags that disagree with my own religious ideology. I just ignore them.

Compared to some of the stuff we see a union flag is pretty tame.

Very best wishes for you and your community in light of recent events in Australia and Manchester.

It's maybe worth noting that the various far right organisions noted above as associated with the flags campaigns are also virulently antisemitic.

[Snoopy]

The symbol of good fortune and wellbeing was hijacked , corrupted in the 20 century, look where that lead the world .

[Pebble]

the 'flag-shaggers' that scare the bejesus out of me are the hamas / palistinian marches. very very intimidating.

No need to feel scared as this news report confirms:

Protesters marched overwhelmingly peacefully through the city, meeting at London's Hyde Park and walking to the U.S. Embassy. The Met police reported "no issues'' with the protest itself, saying that it had stuck to the prescribed route. The route for Saturday's march, which coincided with Armistice Day, was intentionally drawn up by protest organizers to avoid London's war memorials such as the Cenotaph, where two minutes of silence were held to commemorate the U.K. war dead an hour before the march began.

London's police did, however, report incidents of far-right violence in the city, with about 100 counterprotesters arrested.

Yes, the recent marches and demonstrations expressing support and sympathy for Palestinians were overwhelmingly peaceful. And if Pebble has evidence that large numbers of participants were supporting Hamas then he should share it. It's a very nasty slur.

There were very few arrests, Unfortunately the numbers were inflated by the ridiculous proscription of Palestine Action.

Jonathan

why does it have to be large numbers ? plenty evidence of 'river to the sea' banners and chants, police do nothing

i was very intimated by these 'flag shaggers' (or can you only be a 'flag shagger' if you have a British flag?) coming through waverly sation, I refused to cheer them along and received some vile abuse, police were watching and did nothing

[TrevA]

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/20 ... -jack-flag

A man died after falling from a ladder whilst trying to hang a flag from a lamppost.

[belgiangoth]

In my area they came and put up flags, which were taken down withing 24 hours.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Then they invested in a cherry picker so that they could enforce their flying of flags in our neighborhood.
That's my issue. If my neighbours want to fly flags in our neighborhood and the general consensus is in favour, fine. If randoms come into our area to fly their flags, not cool.
Also, a flag or two is very different from littering all the lampposts with 2 flags.

[Cugel]

In my area they came and put up flags, which were taken down withing 24 hours.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Then they invested in a cherry picker so that they could enforce their flying of flags in our neighborhood.
That's my issue. If my neighbours want to fly flags in our neighborhood and the general consensus is in favour, fine. If randoms come into our area to fly their flags, not cool.
Also, a flag or two is very different from littering all the lampposts with 2 flags.

I don't mind flaggy pseudo-pats signalling their various stupidities to the rest of us, as it's best to know if those one meets or cannot avoid are moronic eejits. The problem with this lamposted flaggery is that it's meant to be a yell of hate at "them others", especially those not self-appointed but imaginary anglo-saxon thugs who probably have rather more problematic genes than those they hate, often generated elsewhere than Ingurland land if they did but know the once- an-immigrant status of their very own great grandaddy/mammy.

Little gangs of bullymen (and some wimmins now) eh!? Once they just stole yer dinner money but now they want to go back to burning at the stake (or the hotel)! I'm hoping they turn on each other, like footba' hooligans used to do traditionally.

[Manc33]

'Put that flag back you f****** commie'

Were they shouting "yee-haa" and waving/shooting guns?

All these white van drivers and skinheads with tattoos or whatever they are (the far right) never consider that we are all immigrants ourselves. The fact that we didn't arrive here in our lifetimes or maybe even back to the lifetimes of great grandparents, is irrelevant.

I don't care whether the flags are there or not.

[mattheus]

In my area they came and put up flags, which were taken down withing 24 hours.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Then they invested in a cherry picker so that they could enforce their flying of flags in our neighborhood.
That's my issue. If my neighbours want to fly flags in our neighborhood and the general consensus is in favour, fine. If randoms come into our area to fly their flags, not cool.
Also, a flag or two is very different from littering all the lampposts with 2 flags.

Well said.

( ... and please stay over there in Belgium! )

[Milfred Cubicle]

Try living in certain parts of County Durham, that have been inundated with cheap flags.
I asked the police what's their position - 'nonchalant' doesn't cut it. So I tried the Reform led council. Oh dear. 'We won't remove flags unless they are a danger'. So I pointed out that lots of them are on major roads, hanging on by a thread. 'Oh...could you give us the numbers of the particular lamposts?'. Not really...that would involve walking miles up the verges of busy roads. They also wanted me to give references for all the posts that have been bent by some fat gammon leaning a ladder badly.

I know people who have raised this on local forums, and been called all kinds of names, and threatened. That makes me believe this is nothing to do with 'patriotism'...it's bullies marking their territory.

There's got to be a happy compromise. Someone is clearly funding these cheap, low quality (Chinesium?) flags that fall to bits in days. The obvious solution is to pour these funds into a few high quality flagpoles, and better flags that we could all be proud of. I'd be far happier with a nice, regularly maintained display at each entrance to my town. Not the raggy mess that we've got, which looks like the flag equivalent of a fly-tipping incident. Our national flag has been cheapened by chavs scatterbombing it everywhere. It's the flag equivalent of 'Lest we forget' on a teatowel...it just cheapens it.

I've learned one thing...these 'patriots' are far more patriotic in the summer months. But they're not too keen on climbing up ladders now the dark nights and rain have set in.

It's also quite indicative that the two clowns who started this nonsense are now fighting it out on t'internet. By all accounts the funds they were donated have been misappropriated. With Yaxley-Lennon as your spiritual leader, I'm not surprised.
We are back to where we were in the 1970's. Where I grew up, the union jack was a dirty symbol that had been hijacked and commandeered by the National Front. It didn't really shrug off this stench until the 90's Britpop wave, and later the 2012 Olympics. History has repeated itself.

[Jdsk]

the 'flag-shaggers' that scare the bejesus out of me are the hamas / palistinian marches. very very intimidating.

No need to feel scared as this news report confirms:

Protesters marched overwhelmingly peacefully through the city, meeting at London's Hyde Park and walking to the U.S. Embassy. The Met police reported "no issues'' with the protest itself, saying that it had stuck to the prescribed route. The route for Saturday's march, which coincided with Armistice Day, was intentionally drawn up by protest organizers to avoid London's war memorials such as the Cenotaph, where two minutes of silence were held to commemorate the U.K. war dead an hour before the march began.

London's police did, however, report incidents of far-right violence in the city, with about 100 counterprotesters arrested.

Yes, the recent marches and demonstrations expressing support and sympathy for Palestinians were overwhelmingly peaceful. And if Pebble has evidence that large numbers of participants were supporting Hamas then he should share it. It's a very nasty slur.

There were very few arrests, Unfortunately the numbers were inflated by the ridiculous proscription of Palestine Action.

Proscription ruled unlawful:
https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/huda ... artment-3/

Jonathan

[Stradageek]

I know people who have raised this on local forums, and been called all kinds of names, and threatened. That makes me believe this is nothing to do with 'patriotism'...it's bullies marking their territory.

A concise and accurate assessment of the motivation for all this illegal flag posting.