Birmingham residents have accused the local council and police of \u201cdragging their heels\u201d and giving \u201cfree rein\u201d to a group responsible for erecting flags across the city.<\/p>\n
Raise the Colours, which describes itself as a grassroots movement, has been placing union jack and St George\u2019s cross flags on lamp-posts, roundabouts and other public infrastructure since last summer.<\/p>\n
Although its website states it is a \u201ccampaign to cover Britain in symbols of unity and patriotism\u201d, others have accused the group of racism and spreading anti-immigration rhetoric \u2013 claims it has denied.<\/p>\n
The Guardian spoke to residents in Birmingham who said they had met the city council and the West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) several times in six months, highlighting concerns about the conduct of Raise the Colours and its activities.<\/p>\n
Sara*, a member of the Brummies United Against Racism group, said she wants the council to seek an injunction against the group. \u201cWe\u2019ve been lobbying the council continuously to remove the flags and they\u2019ve been really dragging their heels about it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
During the meetings, Sara said the council and the PCC, Simon Foster, had been presented with a compilation of evidence with brief statements, videos and images, from residents of incidents and confrontations involving Raise the Colours and others.<\/p>\n
\u201cAction needs to be taken against this group,\u201d Sara said. \u201cPeople are being intimidated, people are being threatened, people are being doxed [having personal information, such as home address, published online].<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re hearing now that [the council] is weeks away from getting an injunction but for us, it\u2019s a little too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Duncan Ali, a Green party councillor, said the council was in a \u201cquagmire\u201d over the issue but his party was committed to ensuring action would be taken. The Greens are in a minority administration with the Liberal Democrats and Better Birmingham Independent Group.<\/p>\n
Duncan Ali, a Green councillor, talks to the Guardian journalist Neha Gohil (right) about the behaviour of Raise The Flags. Photograph: Andrew Fox\/The Guardian<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a huge amount of evidence of the aggressive, intimidating, violent behaviour of Raise the Colours and that is being used to request an injunction against that organisation,\u201d Ali said. \u201cAs Green party councillors, I\u2019m not going to sit back and let this continue. It will be stopped. It may take time, and it may cost money, but it will be stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oxfordshire county council successfully secured a high court injunction preventing the unauthorised hanging of flags, including St George\u2019s cross and union flags, on or near public highways, specifically naming four individuals, including the Raise the Colours co-founder, Ryan Bridge.<\/p>\n