{
  "id": 975980,
  "title": "Fact Check: National Flag Torn at Monas Ahead of Independence Day?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/fact-check-national-flag-torn-at-monas-ahead-of-independence-day",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-15T06:52:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tempo.co English",
    "slug": "tempo-co-english",
    "url": "https://en.tempo.co/read/2117570/fact-check-national-flag-torn-at-monas-ahead-of-independence-day"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Social media platforms were flooded with claims that the national flag at Indonesia's National Monument (Monas) tore during preparations for the country's 81st Independence Day. Clips showed the red portion of the flag being carried away by the wind, while the white section remained hanging. However, a fact check reveals the story has a different timeline.\n\nThe Tempo investigation confirmed through reverse image analysis that the flag-splitting footage originated from October 2, 2025—not from the 81st Independence Day celebrations in 2026 as initially claimed. The incident occurred during a dress rehearsal for the flag-raising ceremony, when strong winds caused the fabric to tear.\n\nThe event was widely covered by major Indonesian news outlets, including CNN Indonesia, METRO TV, Kompas.com, Warta Kota Production, and Tribun Sumsel, among others. The footage quickly trended on social media platforms, leading to the misleading claim's widespread circulation.\n\nFollowing the accidental tare, the Indonesian flag was raised again during a subsequent dress rehearsal on October 3, 2025, without further issues. Brigadier General Freddy Ardianzah, Head of the TNI Information Center, confirmed that the flag flew smoothly despite the persistent winds, prompting an adjustment to the flag's material afterward.\n\nIn conclusion, the claim that Indonesia's national flag split in two at Monas ahead of the 81st Independence Day celebrations is incorrect. The incident happened in October 2025, not 2026, and was an isolated accident rather than a deliberate act.",
  "summary": "Social media posts claimed the Indonesian flag at Monas split in two ahead of the 81st Independence Day in 2026.",
  "key_points": [
    "National flag at Indonesia's Monas tore during dress rehearsal, not Independence Day.",
    "Reverse image analysis traced footage to October 2, 2025, not 2026.",
    "Incident caused by strong winds, not deliberate act, flag flew smoothly later."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The correction of the timeline and context for the national flag incident clears up misinformation but also highlights the swift response and adjustments made by authorities to prevent a recurrence.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}