The council said attaching unauthorised items like flags to public infrastructure is prohibited (Image: Getty)
People in Birmingham could see restrictions on flying Union Jack and St George’s flags in public spaces if campaigners succeed in persuading the council to take legal action. Campaigners from Brummies United Against Racism are urging the council to seek an injunction against Raise the Colours. The issue follows a similar legal move in Oxfordshire, where the county council secured a High Court injunction restricting the unauthorised display of flags on or near public highways.
Raise the Colours has been placing Union Jack and St George’s cross flags on lamp-posts, roundabouts and other public infrastructure since summer 2025. While the group describes itself as a “grassroots movement for unity and patriotism” and a “campaign to cover Britain in symbols of unity and patriotism,” others have accused Raise the Colours of promoting anti-immigration rhetoric and racism – claims the group rejects.
The group Brummies United Against Racism has called on Birmingham City Council to seek an injunction (Image: Getty)
Some Birmingham residents have accused the local council and police of “dragging their heels” and giving “free rein” to the group to put up flags, The Guardian reports.
A member of the Brummies United Against Racism group said she wants the council to seek an injunction against the group.
She told The Guardian: “We’ve been lobbying the council continuously to remove the flags and they’ve been really dragging their heels about it.”
During the meetings, she said the council and the PCC, Simon Foster, had been presented with a compilation of evidence with brief statements, videos and images, from residents of incidents and confrontations involving Raise the Colours and others.
She added: “Action needs to be taken against this group.
“People are being intimidated, people are being threatened, people are being doxed [having personal information, such as home address, published online].”
Duncan Ali, a Green party councillor, claimed there was a “huge amount of evidence of the aggressive, intimidating, violent behaviour of Raise the Colours and that is being used to request an injunction against that organisation.”
“As Green party councillors, I’m not going to sit back and let this continue. It will be stopped. It may take time, and it may cost money, but it will be stopped.”
West Midlands PCC Simon Foster said: “I have consistently and repeatedly encouraged Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police to take proactive and robust action to prevent and tackle any and all harassment, alarm, distress or other criminal behaviour associated with the illegal erection of flags and that includes an application for a civil injunction.
“I trust that proactive and robust action will be taken to resolve this matter at the earliest possible opportunity.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said attaching “unauthorised” items, such as flags, to public infrastructure was “not permitted, and any such items will be removed”.
They added: “We are aware that recent flag related activity has contributed to increased tensions in some areas, and we encourage all residents to act responsibly and respectfully to help maintain calm, reduce the risk of intimidation, and support community cohesion during this period.”
In February, around 150 local residents came together in a Birmingham suburb for a “de-flagging celebration,” taking down Union Jack flags from lamp-posts. The flags had been put up a week earlier as part of “Operation Raise the Colours.”
While co-founder of the group, Ryan Bridge of Bromsgrove has rejected claims that the actions were racist and said the aim was to promote patriotism and national unity, local resident and activist, Carol Williams, said at the “de-flagging celebration” that the flags had become “symbols of division.”