Model Jessica Sanders ‘rage quits Instagram’ after US-Australian flag gaffe goes viral

A Sydney model has quit Instagram after being trolled for supposedly not knowing the difference between the Australian and American flags.

Jessica Sanders’ account with 200,000 followers has been deleted or temporarily deactivated after her apparent gaffe went viral on Tuesday.

She had faced backlash for wearing a U.S. flag bikini on Australia Day, with some fans accusing her of not recognising her own country’s flag.

A 404 Not Found message (‘Sorry, this page isn’t available’) now comes up when users attempt to access her main profile @jessica_sanders.

Her private account @jessicasanders.x with just 309 followers is still active, however.

Before seemingly deleting her profile, Jessica blocked a slew of Instagram users she claimed were ‘trolling’ her over her choice of swimwear.

She also blasted her critics in a rambling statement on Instagram Stories.

‘Well that was fun lol. Had a good blocking sesh,’ she wrote. ‘And this is the whole reason why I made a private Instagram so fake people like this who claim that we should all support each other are either writing negative comments or liking them.

‘I am not stupid. I bought an American bikini on purpose and wore it on Australia Day. What is wrong with that? When I see everyone else wearing whatever they want on Australia Day, but because I am wearing an American bikini, this gives people the right to say negative things about me and claim I am stupid. OK, rant over.’

The bizarre bikini saga began after Jessica celebrated her country’s official national day on Tuesday by relaxing poolside with a female friend.

She shared several photos to Instagram of herself in a patriotic red, white and blue two-piece – but fans noticed something not quite right about the design.

Her bikini was inspired by the American flag with its distinctive stars and stripes.

Many Aussie women celebrate Australia Day by wearing an Australian flag bikini featuring the Southern Cross constellation and the Union Jack.

Several of Jessica’s fans assumed she’d confused the two flags, and her ‘gaffe’ was soon picked up by Instagram account Celeb Spellcheck.

She was mercilessly trolled in the comments section, with stunned followers writing ‘Wrong on so many levels’, ‘Surely not!’ and ‘You have to be kidding me’.

One fan said it was a ‘bit too early for the 4th of July’, referring to U.S. Independence Day, and another joked: ‘The last plane out of Texas’ almost gone.’

This was, of course, a reference to the song Khe Sanh by Australian rock band Cold Chisel, which includes the famous lyric: ‘The last plane out of Sydney’s almost gone.’

After realising she’d been featured on Celeb Spellcheck, Jessica furiously hit back on Instagram and denied any suggestion she didn’t know her own country’s flag.

Someone had commented below one of her photos: ‘Please tell me you know that’s the American flag.’

She responded: ‘I’m not stupid, of course I do. Do you write this on everyone’s pic who isn’t wearing the Aussie flag on Australia Day? Or just to be a b***h. Go away.’

Jessica, who has now deleted the photos of herself in the stars and stripes bikini, went on to block dozens of Instagram users who were apparently trolling her.

Meanwhile, the debate over Australia Day has intensified in recent years, with many Aussies saying the national day should not be celebrated on January 26 – the date when Britain’s First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove.

They argue that celebrating this day is disrespectful to Indigenous Australians, as the arrival of British settlers brought violence and disease which would decimate the native population.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday the date signified when Australia was changed forever through European colonisation.

‘There is no escaping or cancelling this fact,’ Mr Morrison said. ‘For better and worse, it was the moment where the journey to our modern nation began.’