US Flag in protest on Paulista Avenue resonates in ‘New York Times’: ‘New symbol of the Brazilian right’

The presence of a giant American flag at a demonstration on Paulista Avenue on September 7th, during Brazil’s Independence Day holiday, was highlighted in the American newspaper ‘The New York Times’, which covered the event in Sao Paulo.
The newspaper emphasized in a Tuesday article that the flag was displayed amid protests against the condemnation of former president Jair Bolsonaro, accused of attempting a coup.
The headline reads: ‘A new symbol of the Brazilian right: the US flag’. The publication stated that the gesture represented gratitude to US President Donald Trump for trying to intervene in the case.
The ‘New York Times’ analysis also pointed out the presence of the American symbol in protests around the world, such as recently in South Korea.
According to the American newspaper, the adoption of the American flag by Bolsonaro supporters and the right-wing movement in Brazil was unique.
‘In cities across the country on Sunday, right-wing protesters wrapped themselves in the US flag, painted their faces red, white, and blue, and waved modified versions that combined the Brazilian and American flags,’ the publication stated. Congressional representatives Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ) and Pedro Campos (PSB-PE) requested the Federal Police to investigate the origin of the flag, suspecting it was the same one used by the NFL in a game days prior, potentially constituting illegal participation by a foreign entity in a political act. The NFL denied to the newspaper, asserting that their flag is stored.
International repercussion In addition to the New York Times, other foreign media outlets also covered the protests on Independence Day:
El País stated that ‘the two Brazils clashed on the streets on the eve of Bolsonaro’s verdict.’
The Guardian highlighted that Bolsonaro supporters ‘pleaded’ for Trump’s intervention against Bolsonaro’s trial.
La Nación reported that Bolsonaro supporters ‘challenged President Lula’ with the protests, days before Bolsonaro’s verdict in the Supreme Federal Court.
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