Although the Last Night of the Proms will not have a live audience, the ‘EU Flag Mafia’ group has encouraged supporters to show their support for Europe from home. To show their dislike of Brexit and support for the EU, the group has encouraged its followers to show their flags across all social media platforms. The EU Flag Mafia have previously infilterated four Last Night of the Proms.
They first began their campaign in 2016 in response to Brexit donor, Arron Banks funding money to have Union flags handed out.
In 2017, the group gained notoriety where they managed to hand out approximately 50,000 flags to the audience in attendance.
At the moment whereby the audience shows its pride for Great Britain by waving Union flags during the last performance, live pictures showed some with European colours instead.
From 8pm, the group have urged the public to share themselves waving an EU flag as the event ends.
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Brexit news: Anti-Brexit campaigners plan protest (Image: PA)
Brexit news: The group gained notoriety in 2017 (Image: PA)
The final performance of the Proms has been locked in controversy over the last few weeks.
Initially, the BBC had decided to ban the performance of ‘Rule Britannia!’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ on the final night.
The songs had initially been dropped over the offensive they may cause to some listeners who suggested they had become outdated amid the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter protests.
Instead of being sung by a group at the Royal Albert Hall, the BBC had planned for them to be replaced by an orchestral version.
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Brexit news: The group hopes to have EU flags shown on social media (Image: PA)
Commenting on the original decision, the Prime Minister said: “I cannot believe that the BBC is saying that they will not sing the words of Land of Hope And Glory or Rule Britannia! as they traditionally do at the end of The Last Night of The Proms.
“I think it’s time we stopped our cringing embarrassment about our history, about our traditions, and about our culture, and we stopped this general bout of self-recrimination and wetness.”
Following backlash against the decision, the BBC made a U-turn on the songs.
A select group of singers will now perform the songs at the performance.
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Brexit news: Mr Johnson welcome the change (Image: PA)
The BBC in a statement: “The pandemic means a different Proms this year and one of the consequences, under Covid-19 restrictions, is we are not able to bring together massed voices.
“For that reason we took the artistic decision not to sing Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory in the Royal Albert Hall.
“We have been looking hard at what else might be possible and we have a solution.
“Both pieces will now include a select group of BBC Singers.
“This means the words will be sung in the Hall, and as we have always made clear, audiences will be free to sing along at home.
“While it can’t be a full choir, and we are unable to have audiences in the Hall, we are doing everything possible to make it special and want a Last Night truly to remember.
“We hope everyone will welcome this solution.
Brexit news: The songs will be played (Image: PA)
“We think the night itself will be a very special moment for the country – and one that is much needed after a difficult period for everyone.
“It will not be a usual Last Night, but it will be a night not just to look forward to, but to remember.”
Following the decision, the Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed Mr Johnson welcomed the move.
