Zimbabwe targets flag protesters with jail threat

A man with a Zimbabwean flag wrapped around him throws stones at police officers during a protest against President Robert Mugabe's government's handling of the economy in Harare, Zimbabwe August 3, 2016. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's government has threatened to jail anyone who disrespects the national flag or sells it without permission, enraging activists who have used the banner as a rallying point for mass protests.

The state has been struggling to contain months of demonstrations against financial chaos and corruption - many of the rallies organised by the online #ThisFlag campaign.