Muslim Flags Raised Across U.S – What’s Really Happening?

Black flag featuring Arabic script against a blue sky

A single 2023 protest video sparked a nationwide disinformation firestorm in 2025, falsely claiming Muslims were raising victory flags across America—what happens when old footage fuels election-year panic?

Story Snapshot

November 10, 2023: Teen removes U.S. and UN flags during NYC pro-Palestinian protest, authentic video misused two years later.
June 2025: Conservative groups like CPAC repurpose footage to attack Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayoral primary win.
No evidence of Muslim flags rising nationwide; claim classified as proven disinformation by fact-checkers.
Real religious flag disputes exist, like Christian flags banned on military bases while others fly free.
Disinformation exploits divisions, undermining elections and common-sense discourse.

Actual Incident: NYC Protest Flag Removal

On November 10, 2023, a 17-year-old climbed a light pole at East 43rd Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City. He removed American and United Nations flags during a pro-Palestinian protest. NYPD officers took him into custody after he scaled about 10 feet late at night. Fox News reported the event tied to Gaza conflict tensions. Reverse image searches confirm the video surfaced online November 11, 2023.

Disinformation Campaign Launch

Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist, won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary on June 24, 2025. CPAC posted the 2023 video on X June 26, 2025, claiming “Muslims ripping down American flags in NYC… You get exactly what you voted for.” Heritage Foundation’s Tim Young shared a similar post, later deleted. The narrative spread across Facebook, Instagram, and foreign languages, falsely linking it to Mamdani’s victory celebrations.

#WakeUpAmerica
Bradlee Dean: #Muslim #Flags Going Up Quietly Around The Country – They Are Claiming Victory! (Videos) https://t.co/TrQwJ2qWCO

— Jeff Hertzog (@JeffHertzog1961) January 17, 2026

No videos show Muslim flags raised as victory symbols. AFP fact-check verifies the footage’s true 2023 context, unrelated to 2025 elections. Common sense demands timelines match claims; this mismatch exposes fabrication.

Political Weaponization Against Mamdani

President Donald Trump called Mamdani a “pure communist.” Republican lawmakers targeted his religion and race. Disinformation extended to mislabeling Iraqi religious procession videos as New York celebrations. This tactic divides voters, prioritizing smears over policy debate. American conservative values emphasize truth in rhetoric; facts here align against such distortions, protecting electoral integrity.

Social media amplified the lie rapidly, eroding trust. Fact-checkers like AFP debunked it swiftly, yet persistence highlights vulnerability in digital discourse.

Real Religious Flag Disputes on Military Bases

January 2026 at Malmstrom Air Force Base, authorities threatened a servicemember with eviction for displaying a Christian flag at his residence. Sports, LGBTQ, and foreign nation flags faced no such action. First Liberty Institute intervened, citing First Amendment and Religious Freedom Restoration Act violations.

In 2025, a Navy Lt. Cmdr. received an eviction notice for an “Appeal to Heaven” flag, rescinded after legal pushback. These cases reveal selective enforcement favoring secular or progressive symbols over Christian ones. Conservative principles uphold equal religious liberty; unequal treatment demands correction through law.