PROTESTERS staged a demonstration outside South Gloucestershire Council’s headquarters demanding that it reverse its policy of taking down flags from lamp posts.
About 30 people gathered outside the council offices in Badminton Road in October, waving Union and St George flags, and put up posters criticising the government and Prime Minister.
Since August flags have been put up with zip ties on lamp posts in areas including Mangotsfield, Staple Hill, Downend and Soundwell, as part of a national campaign spread via social media.
Red crosses have also been sprayed on road markings such as zebra crossings, and on speed limit signs.
Council leader Maggie Tyrrell and co-leader Ian Boulton issued a joint statement in September that some of the flags were being used in an “intimidating or divisive” way and would be removed to “protect public safety and support community cohesion”.
They also signed a joint letter, with other council leaders and police and crime commissioner Clare Moody, linking protests over flags to “racially aggravated” incidents in the region.
The October protest was organised by a group called Bristol Patriots.
One protester, who said they lived in Chipping Sodbury but asked not to be named, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s not a case of a movement being racist against migrants or anything like that. It’s our national flag.
“All the migrants who come here and settle in this country and our culture, this flag represents them too. But for years they’ve drummed it into us to say ‘you can’t fly your flag’.
“It’s a nationwide thing to stand up against this tyrannical government. They come down on us like a dictatorship.
“We’re not thugs trying to cause racial tension.”
Sue Mills, of Yate, said: “They stopped my heating allowance last year and yet they put illegals up in hotels, feed them, clothe them, and keep them warm. They keep giving our money away to other countries, when we need it. The hospices need it, and veterans need it. We’ve got veterans on the streets. Illegals shouldn’t come before.
“The flag means I’m celebrating my country. It’s nothing to do with racism at all. It seems like we can celebrate everybody else’s flags, but not our own, which ain’t right.”
The Bristol Patriots group was set up earlier this year, as an offshoot of a national online campaign called the Great British National Strike founded by populist activist Richard Donaldson.
Some of the protesters were asking where flags that are taken down end up, including some that were paid for with a fundraiser at a pub.
A council spokesperson said people can collect flags with “proof of ownership” from their local police station.
Cllr Tyrrell and Cllr Boulton said in their statement: “We recognise that national flags can bring vibrancy, pride and a sense of unity to our communities — especially during major events and periods of national celebration.
“The Union Flag and the St George’s Cross are symbols that belong to everyone. However, their placement in unauthorised locations and recent campaigns and behaviours linked to the unauthorised display of flags have caused genuine concern among many residents.
“While most people display flags respectfully, we have received reports that a small number of individuals have used them in ways that feel intimidating or divisive.
“In addition, as we enter autumn and approach the time of year when clocks go back, weather conditions such as high winds pose a greater risk of damage to flags and the structures they are attached to.
“To protect public safety and support community cohesion, we will be removing unauthorised flags and graffiti from public spaces.
“This action is not about discouraging pride or celebration, but about ensuring that our shared spaces remain safe, welcoming, and respectful for all.”
By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service
Letters: Page 44