Birmingham city council is seeking an injunction to stop members of an anti-migrant group from erecting flags, including union jack and St George’s flags, on public infrastructure across the city. A nationwide campaign to give prominence to the England flag, which resulted in thousands of St George’s crosses being flown from lamp-posts, roundabouts and other public infrastructure, is believed to have started last summer in Birmingham. The “Raise the Colours” campaign has polarised opinion, with some viewing the flags as a sign of patriotism, while others have criticised it as a display of nationalism aimed at intimidating minority ethnic people.
In July, Birmingham residents accused the city council of giving “free rein” to flag raisers. The same month, Oxfordshire county council, where there has also been a proliferation of flag displays, secured a permanent high court injunction to stop the flying of flags from lamp-posts. Justice Dias said council workers “faced abuse or intimidation while taking flags down, as well as residents”.
On Wednesday, Birmingham city council said it was pursuing legal action to stop the raising of flags, based on evidence it had gathered, including incidents that involved harassment, intimidation or obstruction of staff who were tasked with removing them. The council’s application named the co-founder of the Raise the Colours campaign, Ryan Bridge, as well as seven others and “persons unknown”. The Green party councillor Jane Baston, Birmingham city council’s cabinet member for equalities, communities and social justice, said: “The council is taking a lawful, proportionate and evidence-led approach to unauthorised attachments on the highway.
This includes pursuing injunctive action based on the evidence gathered to date. We ask residents and community groups to support this approach and to ensure any displays are placed only where permission exists.” The council said its approach was focused on lawful highway management, public safety, community cohesion, as well as the responsible use of public funds. It also said it continued to manage unauthorised attachments on public highways, including flags, banners and signage, through a structured and evidence-led process.
Raise the Colours, which describes itself as a “grassroots movement for unity and patriotism”, said it had not received or reviewed the court papers and could not comment on the application. The group, however, rejected “any suggestion that we are seeking to divide communities”, in a statement uploaded to Instagram. Bridge was one of four named individuals who agreed to stop the unauthorised hanging of flags on or near public highways in Oxfordshire after that county council was granted an injunction.
In its claim to the high court, the Liberal Democrat council in Oxford said contractors removing flags had been met “with hostility and obstruction”. The claim also acknowledged Bridge was arrested in Oxford on suspicion of causing religiously and racially aggravated harassment in April. Thames Valley police said he had not been charged at this time and the investigation was ongoing.
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