The Indian tricolour was spotted among a sea of American flags during Wednesday's Capitol Hill attack. The chaos unfolded as thousands of supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump swarmed the Capitol Hill in Washington DC, bypassing security. The protesters ransacked offices, flipped tables, smashed windows and looted the building.
The violence began when thousands of pro-Trump protesters pushed into the East Front of the Capitol grounds, some waving Trump flags, some American flags.
One video taken at the scene shows an unidentified person waving an Indian flag waving alongside dozens of red and blue ones. While some protesters held up the American star-spangled banner, others waved blue flags proclaiming Trump 2024. The lone Indian tricolour stood out in contrast in this video shared by journalist Alejandro Alvarez.
Dozens have forced their way to the top. More coming up the steps. Police are trying to bolster their numbers through the west doors but someone with a fire extinguisher is dousing them from above. The crowd only keeps cheering. pic.twitter.com/WA526jTBGo
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) January 6, 2021
The video sparked intrigued as well as enraged reactions on Twitter as several Indians questioned what the Indian flag was doing at the US Capitol protests.
"Not the place where we'd like to see our Indian flag," wrote one Twitter user who was among the first to notice it.
Not the place where we'd like to see our Indian flag ???????? https://t.co/Abtbth5j8K
— S. (@ShitSaniyaSays) January 7, 2021
BJP MP Varun Gandhi also took to the microblogging platform to wonder how the Indian flag appeared at the Capitol. "Why is there an Indian flag there??? This is one fight we definitely don't need to participate in..." he wrote.
Why is there an Indian flag there??? This is one fight we definitely don't need to participate in... pic.twitter.com/1dP2KtgHvf
— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) January 7, 2021
Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the presence of the Indian flag and wrote, "Don't use our tricolour to participate in such violent & criminal acts in another country."
Whoever is waving this Indian flag should feel ashamed. Don't use our tricolour to participate in such violent & criminal acts in another country. pic.twitter.com/CuBMkq9Siu
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) January 7, 2021
Meanwhile, comedian Vir Das and several others took pointed digs at the person carrying the flag.
Dear random Indian dude waving Indian flag at the #CapitolRiots
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) January 7, 2021
Every large crowd IS NOT A CRICKET MATCH!
That's an Indian flag supporting a protest aimed at dismantle American democracy. Any idea who these idiots are and why they feel the need to fly the Indian flag? pic.twitter.com/ZwZ7s2ZbR4
— Ram Subramanian (@VORdotcom) January 7, 2021
Is the guy at the bottom left with Indian flag shouting ‘ab ki bar, Trump Sarkar'? pic.twitter.com/L6HKrq3G4C
— Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) January 7, 2021
Four people have died during the violence unleashed at the Capitol. Supporters of Donald Trump swarmed inside the building amid a session of Congress to certify Joe Biden's election win, leading to accusations that the outgoing US President was attempting to stage a coup.
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