How did you toast the new year? Was it a case of tipping a few back down the local, a heavy one in town, or feet-up with your pyjamas on at home? All viable options, of course. But it appears a new trend is emerging among terminally online right-wingers – and it’s all about getting upset by fireworks.
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London Fireworks: Appearance of EU flag sparks frenzy
We’re not sure if it will catch on, but the conservative commentariat are desperate to get this off the ground. London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks dazzled onlookers and dramatically illuminated the skies above the capital at the stroke of midnight, putting on a spectacular show.
However, small showings of unity and inclusivity seem to have made a few heads hot. The flag of the European Council, of which the UK was a founding member, featured in the display. But it was too much for some. Just four minutes into 2026, GB News’ Tom Harwood had to vent his spleen…
‘Patriots’ triggered by flag displays at London Fireworks
In much more vicious terms, Tommy Robinson also took a swipe at the EU flag, along with a display on the London Eye which brought all the flags of the world together. The visuals left Mr. Yaxley-Lennon so rattled, he had to log-on at 1:54am to call Sadiq Khan a ‘vile little weasel’…
You could have just gone for a pint…
Other users followed suit, clinging on the Brexit referendum result from almost 10 years ago. Several right-wing accounts pretty much delivered the same message, with one of the posters frantically uploading his criticism at 4:00. Must have been a lively afters somewhere for him…
London Jewish Council clarifies ‘issue’ with Star of David
On a more serious note, a technical error with the global flags display briefly caused a bit of backlash. This came when the image of an Israeli flag temporarily failed to show the Star of David. It intermittently flashed on and off, but eagle-eyed viewers spotted the mistake.
Rather predictably, this has been used to level ‘antisemitism’ allegations towards Mayor Khan. His office has since explained how other blue and white flags – from Argentina, Guatemala, and Honduras – experienced the same issues as well. The London Jewish Council has also clarified the situation:
“The Israeli flag WAS included in the display. The Star of David wasn’t removed. The flags were small, animated and part of a sequence forming the Union Flag. Visibility issues affected several blue and white flags, not Israel alone. No evidence this was antisemitic.” | London Jewish Council