Meet TikTok's Flag Dad: Idaho's Viral Ally for Love, Justice, and Community.

Meda Thompson
Apr 22
3 min read

Meet Eric (he/him)—most of us know him as “Flag Dad” or “Old Man With a Sign.” We see him at the Capitol in Boise, at protests, at peaceful gatherings, at Pride. If there’s a need for an ally or an advocate, you’ll find him there. Flag Dad keeps showing up.

With 51.3K Followers and climbing on his flagdad56 account. You’ll usually spot him wearing a red bandana, a baseball cap, and holding an American flag. Why an American flag?

Here is one of his videos currently

pinned to the top of his TikTok account.

It began when there was a George Floyd memorial at the Capitol. His daughter called and asked, “Did you go to that thing at the Capitol?” He hadn’t, so he decided to go the following night. When he arrived, he saw a large crowd—kids, older folks, all peacefully gathering and planning a march. But there were also counter-protesters, MAGA, who were yelling at the young people and flipping them off. So, before returning the next night, he stopped at a Home Depot and bought a bunch of little American flags on sticks. When he came back, he handed them out to the kids. They asked, “What’s with the American flags?” He told them, “When the Trumpers drive by, just smile and wave the flag at them. It throws them off—it’s their symbol, and they don’t know how to react when you wave it.”

They started to call him 'Flag Dad'. He would be a buffer from opposing protestors and the crowd.

Here is one of Eric's first videos to go viral.

"After Covid, there was this wave of attacks against Asian people, and it really hit me. So I made this video — it was a photo of my daughter when she was little, and I shared a bit of her story. Within like a half an hour, and it started really going viral."

I called my daughter, who was away at college, and said, "Hey Rose, I have to tell you something... I didn’t ask your permission, but I used a photo of you and a little bit of your story, how you were adopted at 5 years old."

She just said,"Yeah, Dad, I know."

Turns out, her cousin had seen the video and called her saying, "I saw your dad!"

"That was my first viral video."

From Viral Moments to Parking Lot Fame

After that, Eric just kept doing it. “I don't make money off this, I think I made 30 cents one time.” But despite not chasing profit, his impact has grown exponentially. One of his videos has reached 3.2 million views, and he has 51.3K followers on one of his accounts and climbing.

"You just make something, it's just quick and easy. The weirdest thing about it is once it started taking off, people just come up and talk to me, and say 'hi' to me." He laughs, recalling moments at Costco or in the WinCo parking lot where people yell across to greet him. “It’s weird.”

Bridging Generations with Presence

When asked what advice he’d give to help close the generational gap, Eric says,"Especially as an old guy, just show up. I come to a lot of events, and show up. I'd like to see more older people just show up."

One of Eric's favorite Posts

Eric’s Favorite Posts

Reflecting on his content, Eric says, "I like the one where I did the Clan Away Vitamins take tow a day with a swift kick in the ass, I don’t know."

He adds, “Probably the ones that are pins, the clan, and the one about kicking and screaming and making a big fuss posted above.”

There’s also one filmed casually in his backyard — “just a fun one,” offering a glimpse into a different side of Eric’s personality beyond the activism.

Eric never set out to go viral.

He didn’t plan on becoming a familiar face at protests or a symbol of quiet, stubborn allyship. He just showed up — again and again — with a flag, a sign, and a whole lot of heart. Whether he’s standing in the Capitol rotunda, handing out flags to young protesters, or making a TikTok in his backyard, Flag Dad reminds us that advocacy doesn’t have to be loud or perfect — it just has to be present. And in a world that can feel increasingly divided, sometimes the most radical thing an “old guy” can do is simply show up, listen, and wave a flag.