OXFORDSHIRE — The High Court granted Oxfordshire county council an injunction against the unauthorized display of England flags on lamp-posts. This decision follows a campaign by the group Raise the Colours to display flags across Britain.

Four individuals associated with Raise the Colours, Ryan Bridge, Trudy Wells, and Ben Cullen, agreed to cease hoisting England flags on lamp-posts after the court ruling. They informed the court they would not encourage others to raise flags from public infrastructure or impede staff from removing them.

Tim Bearder, leader of Oxfordshire county council, said the injunction could serve as a model for other local authorities. "We've secured the first ever injunction [of its kind] in the country and this will serve as a blueprint for other councils wishing to stop this irresponsible behaviour," Bearder said. The council became aware of flags being displayed in August of the previous year after Raise the Colours initiated its campaign last summer.

The council issued a formal legal notice to Raise the Colours in March, instructing the group to stop installing unauthorized flags. Bearder stated the local authority had spent approximately £50,000 on removing the flags. He also noted the council is facing £24 million of budget cuts this year.

Bearder addressed the motivations behind the council's actions, stating, "It's not a culture war, which is what they're constantly trying to make it into." He added, "We're very explicitly trying to maintain a neutral space for our residents, a safe space for our residents so that we can all travel around the county freely without intimidation, or the risk of a flag flapping on to your windscreen or lamp-post falling in front of you."

Raise the Colours describes itself as a grassroots movement seeking to cover Britain in symbols of unity and patriotism. Oxfordshire council stated in its High Court claim that contractors tasked with removing flags encountered hostility and obstruction, including incidents of harassment and intimidation. The council also reported that vehicles were used to prevent contractors from operating a working platform and that contractors were followed to their yard. Bridge described the injunction as "horrendous" and stated that he was being shut down.