#BurnISISFlagChallenge goes viral in the Arab world

A social media viral campaign has sprung up in the Arab world that involves burning the flag of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) - also known as ISIS or ISIL. The trend started after three Lebanese youths posted pictures of them burning the flag associated with the militant group, in the middle of Sassine Square in Beirut. Soon afterwards, a Lebanese YouTube user uploaded a video of himself burning a flag. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in which people choose others to their do own videos, the user nominated “the whole world ” to take part in the #BurnISISFlagChallenge. The campaign soon went viral, especially in Lebanon following the beheading of one of the country’s soldiers by IS. However, some are not happy with the protest campaign and are calling for those found burning the flag to face the “sternest punishments upon them”. Lebanon’s justice minister Ashraf Rifi accused the three who burnt the flag at Sassine Square of insulting Islam since their banner featured the words: “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet.”

The youths who burned the Isis flag did not mean to insult the Islamic religion. This flag does not represent Islam in the slightest.

Nabil Naqoula, a member of Lebanon’s Change and Reform parliamentary group

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