How the red beret became Africa’s most political hat
From Uganda to South Africa, it conjures the spirit of revolution
French revolutionaries wore the bonnet rouge. Fans of Donald Trump don MAGA baseball caps. For young activists in Africa, the red beret is de rigueur. Julius Malema, a South African firebrand, says the hat is “a revolutionary symbol of defiance and resistance”.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Firebranding”
Middle East & Africa November 4th 2023
- The pace of Israel’s war in Gaza far exceeds previous conflicts
- Why urban warfare in Gaza will be bloodier than in Iraq
- Is a two-state solution possible after the Gaza war?
- America suspends duty-free access to four African countries
- How the red beret became Africa’s most political hat
- Ethiopia’s prime minister wants a Red Sea harbour
From the November 4th 2023 edition
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