Fucking flags

[xmaspud3]

I know this has probably been done to death on here and there will be lots of threads about it already but I cant be bothered to trawl through the site for them so here I am.

I’m so irritated by the England flags popping up everywhere. There has been an influx put up in my area over the last week, it seems to be increasing by the day. I don’t hate the flag, but I hate the fact it is being used to send a clear message by racists. People aren’t doing it to be patriotic they are doing it to be hateful towards those that they don’t feel ‘belong’ in their country.

I don’t want to see all of these flags in my area. If people are entitled to put them up then why am I not entitled to go and cut the fuckers down? And don’t get me started on the spray painting of public roundabouts and road signage by people who allegedly love their country so much that they are vandalising it at the expense of public money.

If I see one more person give a ‘big well done to whoever has erected the flags on xyz street’ on Facebook I will explode. Does anyone else feel ragey over it?

No. The only "people" painting roads should be those contracted to do so. And obviously the lines should be straight.

Over 90% of rapes in the UK are committed by someone known to the victim, and 50% by a partner or ex-partner, and the majority of the perpetrators are white British. 95% of abused children are assaulted by someone known to them, and 90% by their own male family members, and the perpetrators are, again, overwhelmingly white British.

It’s already wrong and it’s not immigrants that are the problem.

I'm just suggesting that those who are claiming the sight of daubed flags are a clear expression of national pride are either disingenuous or have spectacularly low standards.

No, the flags in and of themselves are not racist. But it's pretty naive to think that the intent behind the sudden appearance of all these flags and the painting of red crosses on roundabouts isn't racist; unless, of course, you've been living under a rock recently.

They're being put up to send a message and it isn't a message I want my country to send to anyone. I really hate to see them.

I like the flags. Brightens up the boarded up high streets, the graffiti town centres and the run down housing estates. I like seeing them flying from our town halls, castles etc. it’s good we are reclaiming them from the football yobs. I’m not sure everyone who flies a flag is doing so for racist purposes. That’s just a shut up comment as usual. Perhaps if the Govt listened to people then we wouldnt be in this situation. Just like Brexit l. Just like TWAW.

That’s not true, in some cases.

I manage a recruitment business. We employ staff for schools.

There some roles that we cannot fill without using overseas candidates.

Invigilation - it pays minimum wage, it’s only hourly pay, and it’s sometimes 2/3hrs depending on the exam length. It’s seasonal, so not worth hanging around all year for, and the work is at best tedious.

Personal care - low paid, but still not as low as doing it directly with a school. Short hours, up to a max of 20 per week, right in the middle of the day. Also not always the most pleasant work either.

On an average week we have 20+ personal care assistants, in one location that we cover. During peak seasons, we can need up to 30 invigilators. I can promise you, because I’ve spent 10 years trying, British people won’t do that work to the volume that is needed.

Schools can’t find them themselves, the education system is so knackered that they don’t have the budget to pay more for lower skilled work, and we can’t fill it without overseas support.

Without those people, the examination function in this country wouldn’t work, and there would be disabled children not adequately cared for. I can see the real world positive impact of migration in my area of work every day.

I guess it depends on the associations for the flag. In Canada that may be so. In England we associate it with a certain aggressive type of nationalism.

Indeed!

They're currently being used as a dog whistle by some people, which is unfortunate as under "normal" circs I don't have an issue with them. They're all over the place whenever the national football teams are playing and I honestly don't mind them normally and often find them quite cheering (though I prefer a Union Jack). But this isn't really a "normal" context at the moment.

If I was a patriot with genuine concerns but I wasn't racist, I'd be fucking FURIOUS that far right groups were using my flag to further a racist cause, and I absolutely would not be joining in. Because I'm not racist.

I also wouldn't go to another country and tell them not to fly their flags, because other countries fly their flag with genuine pride and not at the overnight instigation of far right groups. I would, however, feel every bit as uncomfortable if I went to Scotland and the national flag was hanging from every lamp post, bin and motorway bridge. I'd think that was something more than patriotism.

It's fairly straightforward.

And you are right, this is exactly how Brexit happened. That was a fucking embarrassment as well.

Does anyone else feel ragey over it?

Nope, couldn’t give a bugger what others do.

They "daubed" the Union Flag upside down? I think they were very bright to have attempted it, I wouldn't know where to start.

It actually started with a little girl in school, in Rugby, she came to school on a celebration day with a Union Jack dress and was humiliated and embarrassed, and shamed.
That is how it started!

Nothing at all to do with the far right!!

You need to stop spreading misinformation.

www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jul/15/girl-union-flag-dress-school-culture-day-rugby

Why is it racist?
I was in London when the Olympics were on at Trafalgar Square watching the opening ceremony for the Paralympics and there was all manner of flags from many countries all celebrating their nationality and their country. As each team entered the arena - there would cheers from somewhere in the Square of that country celebrating with their team and waving flags.
Right now, I certainly don't object to the Union Jack, St George's cross or any other country's flag being flown - we have free speech and can make our voice heard which isn't something that's allowed in some parts of the world. We are a country that is peopled by many cultures and we all celebrate our own heritage.

Are you serious? This has to be the silliest statement I've ever read on Mumsnet, it's not just illegal immigrants that are receiving racist abuse it's people of most races and the more flags that go up the more anxious people of other races will be and they have done absolutely nothing wrong.

Your mother is a wise woman.
You can't have any meaningful engagement with them 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Ooooh you'd love Northern Ireland then 😂

Public roads aren't canvases for knobheads to practise their drawing skills, whatever their motivations may be.

@CanadianHobbit I love the Canadian use of flags. We made our first trip to Canada this summer and the use of flags made me so happy. And the fact that my coffee order was a "Canadiano", not an Americano!

No, no. We’re regularly accused of not understanding the plight of the working class, not listening to the concerns.

I am working class. But please, elaborate - what is the plight, and how is it the fault of asylum seekers?

It’s aimed at people who are here illegally to exploit our country. Not hard working people who are trying to make a better life for themselves. My mums an immigrant too! But legal!

My parents live in an area where St George's flags are being painted on roundabouts and zebra crossings, so I love the Battenburg bollard response to flags graffiti in other areas

It really didn't.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Raise_the_Colours

Flags have no inherent meaning. They're colours in a pattern on a fabric. They're given meaning by the intention of the people flying them. In the UK they are being used to signify racism. HTH.