Head down a road in England today and you might think there was an impending fete or royal visit from the sheer number of Union Flags adorning the lamp-posts and foot-bridges. However this is all part of Operation Raise The Colours; a plan started on social media to cover the country in order to show patriotism and, according to local coordinators who have been swept up in the craze, in no way an act of jingoism.
There has been much speculation about who started this; from patriots attempting to emulate the United States, to far-right protesters attempting to stake claim to their country. However, through deep investigation that went to the second page of a Google Search, it can be revealed that the mastermind behind this is the owner of a flag making factory in China.
"To put it simply, I had a surplus after the Woman's European Championships," said Fly Canton, owner of International Weaving in Shanghai. "We thought there would be a craze, like there is when the men play, of flags at windows, on cars, worn like a Temu-Superman's cape. However, nothing of the sort took place and I ended up with a warehouse of red and white crosses. I thought of selling them to Georgia, but got browsing Tik Tok one night and saw the protests and fervent anger some people seemed to have against those fleeing war and atrocities and wanting to settle in a country they saw as welcoming and safe."
Canton was grateful to the UK authorities for continuing to help his sales, telling us, "It's great how they keep taking them down because people put them in dangerous places or don't bother to seek any permission. Every one pulled down is another one bought from me to replace it. Long may this craze continue! Or at least until the next World Cup, so I can justify the extension to my production line."
Back in the UK, supports of Raise The Colours were appalled at the revelation. "It's disgusting that this company has used social media to manipulate working-class people into what they think is the right thing but is really just lining their pockets, that's my job!" said Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage.
