Synopsis

In a stark urban setting, a young man prepares a Molotov cocktail as unrest unfolds around him. The action is presented in extreme slow motion, stretching the tension between the act of ignition and its consequences. As smoke, fire, debris, and movement fill the frame, the video focuses on the symbolism of protest, anger, and political identity rather than on a conventional narrative. Its stark imagery mirrors the song's ominous atmosphere and its connection to civil disorder in contemporary Europe.

Factoids & Trivia

• The song was inspired by the 2005 riots in France, which began after the deaths of two teenagers fleeing police in Clichy-sous-Bois.

• The video was filmed in Brixton, London, on January 28, 2006.

• Running approximately five minutes and 38 seconds, the promo is built around extreme slow motion, making a single incendiary gesture feel almost suspended in time.

• "False Flags" appeared on Massive Attack's 2006 compilation album "Collected" and was one of the newer tracks included alongside the group's better-known material.

• The video was screened in music-video and short-film programs, helping it reach audiences beyond the usual promotional cycle for a compilation track.

• Its title refers to the idea of disguising responsibility for an act, giving the burning flag and staged-looking violence an intentionally political ambiguity.