Key facts
- Oxfordshire County Council secured a high court injunction against activists hanging English flags on lampposts without permission.
- The ruling cited safety concerns, including flags placed in dangerous locations on busy roads.
- Activists from 'Raise the Colours' were involved in obstructing council contractors.
- The council spent approximately £50,000 on flag removal and legal action.
- Council leader Tim Bearder emphasized the action was to maintain safe public spaces, not to ban patriotism.
Oxfordshire County Council has secured a landmark high court injunction to prevent activists from hanging the English flag of St George on lampposts without official permission. The ruling, led by council leader Tim Bearder, addresses concerns over public safety and the obstruction of council contractors by groups like 'Raise the Colours', which has been campaigning to display flags widely.
Bearder stated that the council's action was not an attack on patriotism but a necessary measure to ensure public safety and maintain neutral public spaces. He highlighted dangerous situations where flags were placed on busy roads and that contractors faced hostility and intimidation. The council has spent approximately £50,000 on removing flags and pursuing legal action, funds Bearder noted could have been used for essential services like fixing potholes, especially given the council's £24 million budget cuts.
Four individuals associated with 'Raise the Colours' agreed to cease hoisting flags on public infrastructure and to not impede removal efforts. Despite the court's decision, the move has sparked backlash, with critics like Reform UK MP Richard Tice accusing the council of disliking England and patriotism. Bearder, however, clarified that the ban applies only to attaching objects to lampposts and other highway infrastructure, not to flying flags on private property or council buildings.
Birmingham City Council has also stated it will remove unauthorized flags from public infrastructure and is considering legal action. 'Raise the Colours' has expressed dismay, with one member describing the injunction as 'horrendous' and claiming it amounted to a complete ban on flags.