Originally Posted by John in Scotland

I do get the impression, however, (though perhaps I have been led astray by the deceitful press) that had the gent in question been flying a St George's Cross, there would have been no problem - which seems somewhat strange to me.

(As one of the non-nationalists on this forum, I would find flying national flags at least as sinister as flying Jolly Rogers. And there are a lot of people in Northern Ireland who find the flying of Union Jacks rather threatening.)