To keep my Ukraine flag up

[PolkaDotMankini]

I have a large Ukraine flag up on the front of my house, World Cup style. It's not the most tasteful thing in the world, but that's not the point. None of the neighbours have said a word about it.

We live on a fairly busy road. A random man has taken to standing outside on the pavement, yelling about the flag. His rants go on for about 5 minutes, then he carries on his way. It's all pro-Russian, anti-Ukraine nonsense but a bit intimidating.

DH reckons he's going to take a step further one day and get violent or damage our house. I'm digging my heels in and refusing to be intimidated by a sad git. AIBU?

Report the man for harassment and disorderly conduct. Keep your flag up.

I'd just take it down. It's not helping anyone/anything. Are you Ukrainian?

Film him and post it on socials, they'll find him, his place of employment, he’ll be cancelled within days…

On a serious note, ignore and keep the flag up.

Surely a donation to the DEC would be more useful than a flag garden? That’s not going to feed or warm anyone.

I’m with you OP. Keep your flag up. Ukrainians I know have said they feel very supported and glad to see their flag whenever they see it being flown abroad (the Uk being abroad to them, I mean).

Ive still got mine up and home and a Ukrainian ribbon on my bag. We can’t just forget about them now, the war is far from over.

I've donated and also supported the local Ukrainian community centre. The flag is up as a gesture of solidarity. As I said, we live on a busy road and there's a significant Ukrainian community here.

If I was a refugee and found myself trying to get by in a strange country, I think I'd find signs that my presence was understood and welcome really reassuring. I don't think it's an empty gesture.

Do you have children? That would sway me if they were scared.

We are a Ukrainian/ British household and on and off have had family here since the war broke out. I’ve had no signs or flags because we’ve had multiple negative reactions. Some people are crazy. We even ended up covering the car with Ukrainian plates. One of my (British Born) primary aged children was standing outside the house next to the car and wearing blue and yellow ready for a meet up was told to ‘fuck off home!’ by two men passing. ‘Fuck off home. It’s your fucking problem not ours. Fuck off. We have our own to look after’. We’ve also had guys sit on the wall with radios loudly playing Russian radio (or something online?) that was very pro war.

I personally don’t want to live scared and harassed and wouldn’t judge you taking the flag down for an easier time.

Crack on, don't be bullied by some Russofascist piece of shit. Slava Ukraini.

I’d kit my house out with matching Ukrainian curtains and keep them closed for full effect.

Obviously it’s a lovely gesture, I forgot to say that. We love spotting flags and it is meaningful. I’m just saying I don’t judge you at all if you don’t want the hassle.

Does he shout at the other Ukrainian flags on the busy road you live on with a significant Ukrainian community, or just yours?

That, and I'd paint a big Himars on the side of the house.

@MumEeeee I'm sorry you and your DC have had to deal with that. Some people are just awful.

Thankfully this man hasn't been around when the DC have been here. They've been fully occupied these hols and he's appeared during the day when it's just me WFH.

There are a few other flags up on the road but they're a bit more tasteful discreet. I haven't noticed him yelling at anyone else's house but who knows? The neighbours said he started doing it when we were away on holiday.

Filming him isn't a bad idea actually. I tried to get footage from my doorbell but the pavement isn't in shot so it didn't pick him up.