Birmingham council seeks High Court injunction to ban St George's and Union Jack flags from lampposts

Birmingham City Council has applied to the High Court for an injunction against members of the Raise the Colours campaign to prevent them from erecting St George's and Union Jack flags on lampposts and roundabouts across the city. The application names co-founder Ryan Bridge and six others, along with "persons unknown" — a provision broad enough to capture anybody who acts in defiance of the order. If granted, hanging flags near roads without authorisation could result in an unlimited fine or a prison term of up to two years. The council — a Lib Dem, Green and independent coalition — says employees sent to remove the flags have encountered harassment and intimidation.

Raise the Colours says it only found out about the legal action through a social media post and denies any intention to divide communities.

Oxfordshire County Council won a permanent High Court injunction on the same issue in July, with the presiding judge noting that council workers 'faced abuse or intimidation while taking flags down'.

The Raise the Colours movement is thought to have originated in Birmingham last summer before spreading across the country, with thousands of flags now displayed on lamp-posts throughout the UK.