LONDON: The red and white St. George’s Cross and the Union Jack flags have proliferated along streets across England in recent weeks in what supporters say is a campaign to show national pride, but others fear is part of growing anti-immigration sentiment. The flags have emerged during a politically charged summer in Britain that has been dominated by the subject of migration, with the YouGov monthly sentiment tracker showing that since the end of June immigration has overtaken the economy as voters’ biggest concern.
“It’s our flag, we should be able to feel proud to fly it,” said Livvy McCarthy, a 32-year-old bartender, as she walked past a pedestrian crossing in the Isle of Dogs, London, painted to resemble the English flag. “Every other country can do the same, so what’s the problem?“
National flags often hang from public buildings in Britain, but it is rare for them to appear in the streets outside of sporting, royal or military events. The appearance of flags has coincided with a wave of protests in recent weeks outside hotels sheltering asylum seekers. Fuelled by social media, the movement appears to have originated with the Birmingham-based Weoley Warriors, with several groups now encouraging the display of more flags.
