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Gary Neville explained that he personally removed a British flag from one of his construction sites in Manchester because it was being "displayed in a harmful way," as he called on people to think deeply about what it signifies to be patriotic.

A Social Media Post

In a video posted on Friday, the former footballer turned property developer said he believed that "society is being turned against itself," attributing much of the blame for the rift on "angry, middle-aged white men … who know exactly what they’re doing|who are fully aware of their actions|who understand the consequences of their behavior}."

A Tale of Two Roads

He described driving down a street in the neighborhood, and seeing "an estimated fifty to sixty Union Jacks" on that section of the road. He then juxtaposed this against his return drive through the parallel road, a different main road, where the Jewish populace were "present in public, resolute, without fear or hiding."

A Decisive Move

Neville, who has built a significant real estate business in Manchester since retiring from football in 2011, said he took down a Union Jack being flown on a development property.

"Funnily enough on one of my property projects last week there was a union jack flag put up and I took it down instantly," he said.

Thoughts on Loving One's Country

"Some people might be watching this and thinking: 'Gary you’re not really patriotic.' I earned 85 caps for England, I am proud of my country, I adore Manchester and I cherish England," he stated.

The 50-year-old, said that in the time he has been developing in the city, he had not witnessed British flags at the existing level and pondered the reason for this increase.

"The Union Jack displayed in a divisive way is improper and I am a staunch supporter of the nation, of the United Kingdom, of our country and will defend it internationally as one of the greatest places to live," he proclaimed.

An Appeal for Self-Assessment

"Yet, I feel it is crucial we reflect," he went on, "assess our actions and contemplate about restoring a sense of equilibrium because we’re being pulled right and left and we don’t need to be pulled right and left at all."

Broader Commentary

The Sky Sports commentator has often shared his views on societal and political matters, including that people should “detest” the unfavorable employment situations for overseas laborers in Qatar and National Health Service employees in Britain.

Diversity in Sports

In his LinkedIn video, Neville discussed the diversity of football, saying that he shared the pitch with individuals from throughout the nation and from internationally. "It was a magnificent squad, totally together," he noted.

The Effects of Leaving the EU

He said he blamed Brexit for its "devastating effect" on the country, and said the "messaging" of discord was becoming "extremely dangerous."

"Such irresponsible people that are out there spreading hate speech in every form and abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them," he emphasized.

"It is imperative we no longer give them a platform and this must end immediately and return to a nation of affection, of tranquility, of harmony and function as a cohesive unit again."