Oxfordshire County Council is seeking a high court injunction against the Raise the Colours campaign group regarding England flags affixed to lamp-posts across the county. The high court is scheduled to hear the council's application on June 23, 2024.

The council has spent £15,000 removing flags associated with the Raise the Colours campaign, which has placed over 300 Union and St George's cross flags on lamp-posts in Oxfordshire. The council stated that these flag incidents have included trespass, obstruction of the highway, and confrontations or harassment involving council teams, contractors, and residents. Council teams have also experienced abuse and harassment while removing flags.

An April legal notice from the council prohibited the Raise the Colours group from installing flags, asserting that the practice constituted an "act of intimidation and division." The council has said that the flag raising activities created road safety and public safety risks, and distress in local communities. The unauthorized placement of flags on highway infrastructure is considered a criminal offense. If granted, the injunction could prohibit further flag raising on or near the highway and allow the authority to take enforcement action if the order is breached. Named individuals associated with Raise the Colours are included in the court filing.

Ryan Bridge, leader of the Raise the Colours group, was arrested in April on suspicion of causing religiously and racially aggravated harassment. This arrest followed a period where he and his group filmed themselves installing flags around Oxfordshire. Bridge is based in Birmingham. Since August 2023, Raise the Colours has been putting up flags across the country.

Some local residents have voiced complaints online about the flags, with specific concerns raised about the Headington roundabout on the outskirts of Oxford. Other local people have placed flags from different countries, including Ireland and Jamaica, alongside the England flags in protest.

Tim Bearder, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council and a Liberal Democrat, stated the application aimed to protect residents, the workforce, and the county's values. "This application is about protecting our residents, our workforce and the values we stand for as a county," Bearder said. He added, "We proudly fly the union flag and St George's flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display flags on their own private property."

Why It Matters

The legal action by Oxfordshire County Council against the Raise the Colours campaign involves a dispute over the unauthorized placement of flags on public infrastructure. The council cites public safety, harassment, and financial costs associated with the removal of flags. The outcome of the High Court hearing on June 23, the same day England is scheduled to play Ghana in a World Cup fixture, could establish a legal precedent regarding such activities on public property.