[user104658]

I do find it odd that the English flag has for all intents and purposes been usurped as a symbol of intolerance / aggressive white supremely nationalism. It's quite sad. You would never get a bad reaction to the Scottish or Welsh flags being flown in people's gardens, and in the USA the stars and stripes is often flown, to hoots and hollers of pride.

As KirkL says though, symbols and images unfortunately can be hijacked in the public subconscious. Who doesn't flinch slightly at the sight of a spray painted swastika on a wall? The symbol itself was once positive but now...

Weirdly, the English flags fall from grace is really all down to more modern racism / hooliganism than anything historical. It's the English flag specifically - no one takes issue with the Union Flag (even up here in Scotland after it being used as a banner for hatred in Glasgow...) which was the symbol of the British empire, which you might expect to have negative connotations for some...