Australians have been left saddened after a man was embarrassed to wear the national flag as a cape on Australia Day for fear of copping abuse .
The man rushed to take off an Australian flag displayed across his back after he stumbled across an Invasion Day gathering in Byron Bay.
He was filmed standing in the playground at Apex Park, near Main Beach, on Tuesday, as the nation marked January 26 with both protests and celebrations.
Footage of the ordeal went viral but now Australians are asking why the man should have felt such shame .
A man has rushed to take off an Australian flag displayed across his back (pictured) after he stumbled across an Invasion Day gathering in Byron Bay
A man has rushed to take off an Australian flag displayed across his back after he stumbled across an Invasion Day gathering in Byron Bay.
The man was filmed standing in the playground at Apex Park, near Main Beach, on Tuesday, as the nation marked January 26 with both protests and celebrations.
An Instagram story showed the man - who was wearing a black cap, white shirt and board shorts - hastily remove the blue, red and white flag tied around his neck.
The camera then spun to the left, where protesters had gathered around a flag pole which displayed the Aboriginal flag.