As nation turns 250, many Americans say the Stars and Stripes is now a red flag

The American flag: To some, it’s Old Glory. To others, it’s a MAGA hat on a stick.

June 29, 2026, 6:01 AM EDT
By Corky Siemaszko


To fly or not to fly an American flag? That was never a question for Bruce Watson, who has put his national pride on display for years — and nudges neighbors in his small New England town to do the same.

“I’m very proud of our flag,” the writer said. “It’s the symbol of ‘We, the People.’”

But as the polarized nation marks its 250th birthday, Watson, 72, worries his Stars and Stripes may now need an asterisk. “If we do fly the flag, we will also put out signs to make it clear that we are not MAGA,” he said.

Bruce Watson, at his home with his dog, Mavis, in Montague, Mass., says he plans to put a disclaimer next to his flag. Hannah Beier for NBC News

The American flag is a symbol striped with many meanings, whether it’s hung on front porches, waved in parades, protests and World Cup matches, or stamped on lapel pins and boxing trunks. Like so much else in American life, it has also been tangled up in politics and the policies of President Donald Trump.

NBC News asked readers to share their feelings and practices around the flag in a moment, polls suggest, when patriotism, national pride and optimism for the country’s future are all fraying. Like Watson, some say the flag can be taken as an endorsement of the current administration. For others, it isn’t tied to any one party but is a way of life.

Samosa Caucus condemns Frisco Indian flag-burning incident

Samosa Caucus condemns Frisco Indian flag-burning incident

By Sumit Jangir • June 16, 2026 12:00 PM PDT

FRISCO, Texas (Diya TV) — The six Indian American members of Congress, known collectively as the Samosa Caucus, have strongly condemned the burning and tearing of an Indian flag during an anti-immigration protest in Frisco, Texas, calling the act hateful and harmful to the Indian American community.

The lawmakers issued a joint statement on June 15 after a video of the incident spread widely across social media. The footage showed a man tearing an Indian flag outside Frisco City Hall while demonstrators cheered and shouted anti-India slogans. The protest focused on opposition to immigration and what organizers described as an “Indian immigration invasion” in Texas.

The incident sparked outrage among Indian Americans and community leaders across the United States. Members of the Samosa Caucus said the event reflected a troubling rise in anti-Indian rhetoric and xenophobia.

The joint statement was signed by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar, and Suhas Subramanyam. Together, they represent the entire Indian American caucus in Congress.

The lawmakers expressed solidarity with Indian Americans in Frisco and across the country. They emphasized that all people deserve to live safely and with dignity, regardless of their background.

“We strongly support the constitutional right to freedom of expression for all Americans,” the lawmakers said in their statement. “At the same time, we condemn the tearing of an Indian flag outside Frisco City Hall alongside hateful anti-India rhetoric, which continues to fuel anti-Indian violence and xenophobia.”The group also stated that acts of intimidation and hate directed at any community have no place in the United States.

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NYPD Thinks Brooklyn Bridge White-Flag Stunt Was an Inside Job

By Margaret HartmannFollow @marghartmann

Photo: Richard Drew

The NYPD doesn't think that the placement of two white American flags on top of the Brooklyn Bridge last night has anything to do with terrorism, but it's definitely not thrilled about yet another stunt involving a security breach at a New York landmark. "Needless to say, no matter what the motive was, it is a matter of concern," Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said at a press conference on Tuesday. "I am not particularly happy about the event." Officials said surveillance footage shows a group of about five people walking over the bridge just after 5 a.m. A short time later, the lights on each tower went out and the usual flags were replaced with 20-foot-by-11-foot American flags that had been bleached white. "This may be somebody’s art project, or it may be an attempt at making some kind of statement — but at this point it’s not clear what that statement is," said Deputy Commissioner John Miller.

Police didn't announce any suspects, but they said the group caught on surveillance footage is of "particular interest." Miller said they're pursuing an "insider angle," as the climbers managed to get past a locked gate, and covered the lights using zip ties and aluminum roasting pans that were just the right size. "There’s some indication of some good deal of pre-operation planning, perhaps some indication that they have experience climbing in construction or in bridgework, or that they have actually been up there before looking at the dimensions," Miller said.

In previous incidents, the culprits have given themselves up by boasting about their crimes on social media, and police may luck out again.According to Gothamist, the Instagram user "Last Suspect" said the flags were bleached before the NYPD released that information, and he briefly used an image of an all-white American flag as his profile photo. In since-deleted tweets, Last Suspect said "NYPD can't stop shit," and commented "2 see last nights adventure in detail look at @mattdoscher feed" under a shot of the white flags. A photo of the underside of the Manhattan Bridge with the caption "Someone replaced the flags on the Brooklyn bridge🙇 ◻️◻️◻️hmmm..." is still up:

Both Last Suspect and Matt Doscher's Instagram accounts are filled with photos of buildings and bridges around New York, and they each have more than 10,000 followers. In an interview with SCHWICITY posted last month, Doscher said of his photography, "My biggest inspiration is simply the fun of going out exploring with friends. I love finding new locations and taking unique perspectives."

Obviously, a few jokes and an interest in urban photography doesn't necessarily mean that the two users have been trespassing on New York landmarks. As Gothamist notes, "It's entirely possible that they're coyly hinting at involvement to gain more Instagram followers." We're guessing that at the very least, they've scored a "follow" from the NYPD.

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Vatican police show off new hardware on feast day

Uploaded by romereports on Sep 30, 2011

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Last Flag of the Papal States Returns to the Vatican -- Saved in 1870

Friday, September 23, 2011



(Rome/Vatican) After 144 years the Papal flag, which flew from the city door of the Porta Pia, will return again to the Vatican.* The flag was flown from the Aurelian city wall of Rome till the 20th September 1870, as a continuation of a thousand years came to an en, when Italian troops attacked the Church State.


The flag comes with an especially symbolic character for the troops of the Kingdom of Savoy charged the city walls seeking to breach and break through the Pia Porta, built by Michelangelo in the 16th Century.

The Papal flag on the battlement did not fall into the hands of the attackers. They were saved by Prince Ruslpoli. The Troops of the Kingdom of Italy succeeded in their successful incursion through the garden in the Villa of Napoleon Karl Bonaparte, a Grand Nephew of Napoleon I, and Christina Ruspoli. In the garden of the villa was the site of the last defensive battle in the siege at which 19 Papal Zouaves fell. The flag, perforated by numerous bullet holes, was brought to safety by Princess Cristina and since then guarded by the Ruspoli family.

29. September 2011, for the feast of the Papal Gendarmes, Prince Sforza Ruspoli will place the Vatican flag back. The restoration ceremony will take place at 17.30 on the square at the Governorate in Vatican City. After the review of the various units, and the honorary procession and National Anthem of the Papal State, Prince Ruspoli will hand over the Papal flag of the Porta Pia and therefore the last flag of the old Church State, to Cardinal Secretary Tarcicio Bertone. Finally, a commemoration to the fallen will take place where a message from Pope Benedict XVI will be read.

The relationship of the Ruspoli Family with the Popes speaks of a long history, which experienced an intensive period in the 18th century. In 1708 Francesco Maria Ruspoli raised the Ruspoli Regiment with a strength of a thousand men and put it at the service of the Holy see. In 1721 Pope Benedict XIII raised Francesco Maria and his heirs to the Roman Principate. At the end of the 18th century the Ruspoli lent the sum of 800.000 gold scudi to compensate the dues which Napoleon Bonaparte had then levied against the Church.

The current family head, the 84 year old Prince Sforza Ruspoli, organizes every year on the 20th of September with the Militia Christi, a counter demonstration at the Porta Pia, where the Freemasons and other enemies of the Church celebrate the fall of the Church State every year. For this event, he unfurls the rescued Papal flag on the battlements of the city gate to remember the Papal soldiers who lost their lives in defense of the Pope and the Church.

Text: Vatican Insider/Giuseppe Nardi
Bild: Vatican Insider



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P.S. * The Papal flag was returned to the Vatican on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011. http://youtu.be/nD33j142dKw

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Historic Papal Flag returned to the Vatican

Published on Sep 30, 2011 by vatican

The papal flag that flew above Porta Pia on September 20th, 1870, was returned to the Holy See yesterday afternoon, in an impressive ceremony that took place in front of the Governor's Palace in the Vatican Gardens, near the top of the Vatican Hill. The flag, which had been in the possession of the Ruspoli family, was returned to the Vatican on the feast of the Gendarmerie, the Vatican police force. The ceremony was attended by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's Secretary of State, and by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the outgoing president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Also present were representatives of the Vatican forces, a squad of Italian Lancers from Montebello, and the flag of t ...

Red and White

Many Rally To Support Boy's Flag Display

Motorcycle Riders Back Denair Teen

KSBW.com
updated less than 1 minute ago 2010-11-15T23:15:17
DENAIR, Calif. — KSBW.com

A 13-year-old Stanislaus County boy at the center of a flag controversy got a big show of support Monday as many people rallied to his side.

Cody Alicea was earlier told by Denair Middle School officials that he could not ride to school with a U.S. flag on his bike. The story has gained national attention, from Rush Limbaugh to the Drudge Report.

The school changed its mind, and now Alicea can display the stars and stripes.

When he rode from his home to school on Monday, he was followed by a parade of people on motorcycles. A military jet flyover was also expected.

"I'd just like to say thanks for the support," Alicea said before his ride.

Officials at the school told Alicea not to display the flag, citing safety concerns. Some students had complained about the display.

Denair Unified School District Superintendent Edward Parraz said the campus recently experienced some racial tension. He said some students got out of hand on Cinco de Mayo. He said some students displayed the Mexican flag, while others displayed American flags.

Parraz said he got calls from halfway around the world about the flag controversy. Some soldiers in Afghanistan called to complain.

Alicea said he was surprised at the attention.

"This is big," Alicea said. "I didn't think it'd get this big."

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