Derry's Jenny Baird stands up for right to fly Palestine flag on Big Brother
Big Brother contestant Jenny Baird has defended the right to fly the Palestinian flag in solidarity after a fellow housemate said only the national and regional flags should be displayed on civic buildings in the UK.
Thousands of people across the north west have regularly attended rallies in Derry and across neighbouring council areas in protest over the genocide inflicted on the people of Gaza.
Palestinian flags have also been erected in solidarity at numerous locations throughout the city including non-civic areas like Free Derry Corner.
The Council elected body itself has passed several motions supporting the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement and expressing solidarity with the people of Palestine, with a majority of elected representatives voting in favour.
At a Council meeting in the city over recent days while Jenny has been in the house, Derry City and Strabane District Council members also agreed to light council buildings in solidarity with Palestine.
During November’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee meeting, People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin proposed that the buildings be lit up in Palestinian colours during International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on November 29.
SDLP councillor Catherine McDaid backed the motion saying: “We need to continue to show solidarity and I think lighting up in the Palestinian colours is a nice gesture.
“It is a gesture, but I think gestures are as important as actions at this time.”
Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy also endorsed the proposed lighting of buildings saying: “I think that any small gesture that we can make as a council, we should be making it.”
In the episode of Big Brother aired on Monday night, Conservative influencer Emily Hewertson Emily from England opines to her fellow housemates while cooking in the kitchen her belief that “Councils and other state owned institutions should only be allowed to fly regional and the national flag’.
When asked to elaborate she said: “So like Councils shouldn’t be allowed to fly the flags of other countries. Or like flags that are like for social movements.”
Jenny responds: “So it’s like Derry hangs a Palestine flag. You think it shouldn’t be allowed?”
Emily replied: “I just think like, in this country if it’s a state owned institution it should only be our flag.”
When she asked Jenny what the flag shows, Jenny replied: “It just shows you support them. I like a Palestine flag.”
Jenny has made it to be the final week on Big Brother with the winner to be crowned from the remaining eight housemates on Friday night. Some however may leave before that with a backdoor eviction expected to take place on Wednesday night and a ticket straight to the final up for grabs in tonight’s episode of the series on ITV and ITX at 9pm.