Flags Vandalized Twice on Purple Heart Memorial Bridge in Yarmouth

Union Jack flags have been placed on motorway overbridges in Swindon as part of a national patriotic movement, but National Highways officials are removing them due to safety concerns about items attached to bridges potentially endangering motorists. Swindon Borough Council has also urged residents not to paint road markings with flags for similar safety reasons, while encouraging the display of flags on homes and in gardens as symbols of inclusion and shared history. Separately, in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, American flags honoring Purple Heart recipient Lance Corporal William Joseph Donovan Jr. were vandalized for the second time in two months on the memorial bridge bearing his name. The flags, placed by Donovan's father, were torn down and damaged, prompting condemnation from local officials who emphasized the flags' symbolic importance and vowed to replace them. Yarmouth Police are investigating the incidents and seeking information from the public about those responsible. Both situations highlight tensions around flag displays, whether for patriotic celebration or memorial purposes, and the challenges of maintaining respect and safety in public spaces.