Public displays of Pride flags are the latest front in Glasgow's flag wars, but it's war none of us can win, says Mark Smith

You’ll know about Glasgow’s ‘flag wars’ – how could you not? Union jacks. Saltires. Paltires (mix of the saltire and the Palestinian flag). People have been putting them up; other people have been taking them down. And there really is tension about it – I was in Calton the other day and the locals I spoke to (admittedly just a quick straw poll) were supportive of the saltires and angry at the idea of them being taken down. The word ‘war’ may be a bit hyperbolic, but is there a struggle going on? Yes, definitely.

It’s what happens with flags, you see. Put one up and someone will see it as an expression of national pride or solidarity or inclusivity or support for a certain community, and someone else will see it as an expression of jingoism or divisiveness or an attack on a certain community or even racism or hatred. That’s always been there to some extent, but it was made worse by the referendums of 2014 and 2016. Pre-2014, I would've happily waved the odd saltire if someone had asked me to, but during the referendum campaign and post-2014: absolutely not. I am not immune from all this and don’t pretend to be.

The way we perceive flags also explains why they’ve proliferated in Glasgow, and other cities too. As soon as you stick one on a pole, or a lamppost, or drape it out your window, it’s interpreted negatively by some of the people who see it. Union Jack (imperialist, conservative, anti-immigration). Saltire (nationalist, anti-UK, possibly also anti-immigration). Paltire (lefty, antisemitic, pro-immigration). And so on. You then get some people who feel the need to respond by putting up the ‘opposite’ flag. It’s why the word ‘war’ isn’t entirely inappropriate here.

The sad thing is that I think another front in the war is opening up now and it’s something you may have noticed too. Again, it concerns a flag that a few years ago I would’ve felt neutral or even positive about: the rainbow flag or gay pride flag (although even the name is........

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