BBC Proms: Remain campaigners accused of ‘hijacking’ Last Night of the Proms by waving EU flags
Anti-Brexit campaigners have sparked a heated Twitter debate after they proudly waved EU flags at the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms .
Dozens of audience members wore blue berets as the star-flecked flags fluttered across the Royal Albert Hall for the finale of the eight-week music festival.
Remain campaign group the EU Flags Proms Team helped organise the stunt for the fourth year in a row, which saw an estimated 50,000 Flags of Europe handed out for the event.
One of the team’s organisers, Kate Hobbs, said she hoped the flags would serve as a "timely reminder" that music is a "universal language which unites people".
But the move was greeted with anger by some classical music lovers, who accused the flag-bearers of “hijacking” the traditional event.
“The Remoaners have hijacked a British institution with all the EU flags at The Last Night Of the Proms,” tweeted one disgruntled viewer.
“European flags at The Proms, are you serious, shameful at this politically heated time. Speechless,” wrote another.
European flags at The Proms, are you serious, shameful at this politically heated time. Speechless.
— Angie ventz (@AngelaVento9)
Another said: “Did anyone else see the European flag waving at the proms. The impartial BBC (lol) which fully funds the proms through you and I the taxpayer supplies thousands of EU flags to be waved."
Did anyone else see the European flag waving at the proms. The impartial BBC (lol) which fully funds the proms through you and I the taxpayer supplies thousands of EU flags to be waved...
— aldridgestu (@aldridgestu1)
But other people praised the move as a joyful and "very British occasion".
Last night at the Proms covered in EU flags,a very British occasion—we’re part of Europe now,not an isolated island pic.twitter.com/2l757KCJKV
— Cary Cooper (@ProfCaryCooper)
One user commented: “Last night of the Proms. Rule Britannia gets played. EU flags waved with pride right across the floor of the Royal Albert Hall.
“It is possible to be patriotic and internationalist at the same time."
Last night of the Proms. Rule Britannia gets played. EU flags waved with pride right across the floor of the Royal Albert Hall. It is possible to be patriotic and internationalist at the same time. 🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/wW1UOFPHhC
— James Melville (@JamesMelville)
One delighted fan tweeted: “Are you watching, @BorisJohnson? You can't get more British than the Last Night of the Proms, and here they all are, British people, waving EU flags, proclaiming their belief that Britain is and should remain at the heart of the EU.
“The most polite heckle you've had all week!!”
Are you watching, @BorisJohnson? You can't get more British than the Last Night of the Proms, and here they all are, British people, waving EU flags, proclaiming their belief that Britain is and should remain at the heart of the EU. The most polite heckle you've had all week!! https://t.co/iIbnZibKe7
— doofydafus (@doofydafus)
European flags at The Proms, are you serious, shameful at this politically heated time. Speechless.
— Angie ventz (@AngelaVento9)
Another simply asked: "Why do people feel so personally attacked by people waving EU flags at the proms???"
The EU Flags Proms Team first co-ordinated the stunt back in 2016 and have repeated it at the annual classical music festival every year since.
The campaign group said the initiative was crowdfunded by a group of "music lovers" to ensure the EU flag would be waved alongside the Union Jack at the event.
It said."We were keen to demonstrate that it is possible to be patriotic at the same time as maintaining a European and internationalist identity."
Crowds could be seen waving both Union Jacks and European Union flags at the end of each act on Saturday night.
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But in perhaps the most poignant moment of the night, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton added a new flag into the mix.
During a powerful rendition of Rule Britannia, she proudly brandished a rainbow flag to show her support for LGBT rights.
The American singer was making her first appearance at the Proms and had said that it was “important for me to stand up proudly as a bisexual woman”.
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