Pro-Palestinian protesters rally at Ottawa City Hall after the city raised the Israeli flag, on May 14, 2024. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick
Commentary
Flags are powerful symbols for nations, causes, ethnic communities, and sports teams. They can unify people, and they can be flash points for conflict. The placement of a flag often symbolizes an assertion of possession of a piece of land, as seen in the famous Iwo Jima flag-raising in World War II or by astronauts planting a flag on the moon.
