Full West Midlands Police statement after man reportedly threatened as he tried to stop St George’s Cross flag being put up outside his home
Police have issued a full statement after a Midlands man was reportedly threatened after he tried to stop a St George’s Cross flag being put up outside his home (Image: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)
West Midlands Police have issued a full statement after a Midlands man was reportedly threatened after he tried to stop a St George’s Cross flag being put up outside his home.
The man, who used the name ‘Bob’ to remain anonymous in an interview with BBC WM on August 27 said he did not want the flag flying outside of his house due to the “number of connotations” attached to it.
After being allegedly threatened over the incident in Stourbridge, Bob reported the altercation to West Midlands Police, who this evening, have provided a statement to BirminghamLive.
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Bob said in an interview with BBC WM: “I was really quite upset. I felt threatened and we sat in here afterwards and said: ‘Well how might they retaliate?’
“Might they come back at night, might they put another flag up to see how we respond to that? Will there be some kind of, maybe, physical attack?”
Adding: “The St George’s flag now has quite a number of connotations attached to it.
“But this is a multicultural community and our concern is, and has always been, how would other people sat indoors watching this happen around them having given no permission – how would they feel?
“Does this flag relate to their lives? Because it doesn’t relate to ours.”
A West Midlands Police spokesperson told BirminghamLive: “We received a report of a threat made to a man after a flag was erected on a lamppost outside a home in Amblecote, Stourbridge, shortly before 8.30pm last Sunday (24 August).
“An officer has visited the man who made the complaint.
“Anyone with any information should contact us via 101 quoting log number 3989 of 24 August.”
Groups involved in hanging flags from lampposts across the West Midlands and beyond have raised thousands of pounds from the public to fund their work, claiming their aim is to ‘restore pride’ to ‘neglected’ working class communities.
England flags have been painted on roundabouts and scrawled on buildings up across the country.
But last week anti-racism groups Birmingham Stand Up Against Racism (BSUAR) and Birmingham Race Impact Group demanded they be removed.
They warned: “This is not innocent “patriotism.”
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