Scores of English and British flags have gone up in towns, cities and villages across the country in recent weeks – but why? Some of these flags were torn down from lamp posts, sparking backlash from furious locals.

Tower Hamlets in east London became the second authority after Birmingham to tear down any Union Jacks or St George flags, which patriotism campaigners tied to lampposts following an online movement called “Operation Raise the Colours”. Meanwhile, thousands of red crosses have begun to appear on roundabouts, zebra crossings across England. However, many of these have already been scrubbed off by local councils.

How did it all start?

The flag debate first unfolded during the Women’s Euros, with families showing their support by hanging out flags from windows or on poles outside their gardens.

Weeks later, Birmingham locals attached English and British flags to lamp posts. A group calling themselves the Weoley Warriors claimed responsibility, saying they were a “group of proud English men with a common goal to show Birmingham and the rest of the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements”.

Some Birmingham residents were uncomfortable with the motivations.

Are English flags being removed?

Labour-run Birmingham Council, which declared itself broke in September 2023, claimed those attaching flags “could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk” despite being up to 25ft off the ground.

Debate over the issue began to rage with critics pointing out that Palestinian flags have flown elsewhere on the streets of the city where 29.9% of residents are Muslim, since the war in Gaza began in 2023 since the war in Gaza began in 2023.

Thousands of flags then started to pop up across all areas of England with flags being put up in Tower Hamlets just a few days after the Birmingham controversy.

However, the East London council, run by the pro-Gaza Aspire Party, said it was removing flags because it has a “responsibility to monitor and maintain council infrastructure”, adding they were “attached to council-owned infrastructure without permission”.

Earlier this week Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson says the Prime Minister “absolutely” supports people raising English and British flags.

Asked what the Prime Minister’s view is on the councils that have removed the flags, the PM’s official spokesman said on Monday: “I think the PM has always talked about his pride of being British, the patriotism he feels. I think he’s talked about that previously […] not least recently in relation to the Lionesses’ successful campaign in the Euros. Patriotism will always be an important thing to him.”

Why are some people unhappy about English flags being flown?

The activity of flying English and British flags has sparked concern and suspicion, with allegations that those behind it had political motivations and were attempting to create division between white British residents and other communities.

Pablo O’Hana, a political advisor, told the Manchester Evening News he is “proud to be British” and supports flying the flags “to support unity”, but that in the current climate it is being used deliberately “as bullying”.

In mitigation the Weoley Castle Community Facebook page in Birmingham are largely in favour of the move. One post read: “We all like the flags. They brighten up the area and they’re not offensive in the slightest.”

One frustrated Birmingham local questioned: “When are we going to stop seeing the English and British flag as a problem?”

In a viral TikTok video AdventureOfTheSwan added: “It’s our identity and we should never ever be ashamed of that.

“We should be proud and no matter what they teach you and no matter what they teach you these days you should be very very proud to be British.”