Shropshire Council says its staff and elected members are now facing regular abuse, harassment and intimidation from people angry about the removal of unauthorised union jack and St George's flags from lamp-posts and street furniture across the county. Workers sent out on routine jobs like repairing street lighting have reportedly been confronted and threatened simply for being council employees. Something that started as flag-hanging has turned into a law-and-order problem.
According to the Guardian, the council said it had recorded a rise in reports of abuse with staff "being threatened for explaining the council's position" on the flag removals.
The flag campaign is believed to have begun in Birmingham last summer and has since spread across England. Hundreds of flags have been attached to lamp-posts, roundabouts and roadside infrastructure. Groups involved in the campaign describe the flags as symbols of patriotism and shared identity. But several charities and MPs say the installations have created a climate of fear in some communities and amount to deliberate intimidation.
Shropshire initially said it would not get involved in policing the issue. The council reversed that position last month citing safety concerns and said those who erected the flags would be billed for removal costs. A previous round of removals following Storm Amy in October cost £13,000. The council recently raised council tax by 9 per cent to balance its budget so the additional expense is a live political issue locally.
A council spokesperson said the union flag is a "nationally respected emblem" but that attaching anything to street lighting columns without authorisation creates safety risks and costs that fall on local residents.
Oxfordshire Council is dealing with the same situation. Its leader Liz Leffman said residents across the county had told the council they felt distressed and unsafe in their neighbourhoods because of the flags. Staff removing the installations have also faced abuse. The council issued a formal legal notice to the group Raise The Colours to stop further erections in the area.
