Rage engulfs town after council pledges to tear down English flags | UK | News

Supporters of flying the national flag reacted angrily after the council announced it would remove the emblems from street furniture. A national patriotism movement has developed over the last two years, with local activists affixing British and UK flags to lampposts across the country. In similar movements in Wales and Scotland, the national flags of these countries were also raised.

But many councils have voted to scrap impromptu displays of national pride, while some local officials have described flag-waving as “frightening” and “divisive” rather than patriotic. Shropshire Council has become the latest to announce it will “remove all unauthorized flags from our street lighting columns and other highway assets”.

But supporters of the flag movement have already started raising money to oppose the council, with a group called Raise The Flags Shrewsbury ‘Plus’ receiving more than £6,300 in donations via GoFundMe so far.

The page organizer said donations will be used to prevent “our country’s flags in our town from being destroyed,” “ripped,” and “ripped.” A statement on the site added: “We are an organization founded on the lies we have fed for decades to come to power.”

Andy Munro, mayor of the Shropshire town of Church Stretton, said there were allegations that the men who planted the flags “threatened” many women they encountered while raising the flags.

According to GB News, Mr Munro said: “Most importantly, we received calls from a number of women who came out to see what the commotion was about and they were threatened and harassed by people who were putting up flags.

“We can argue about the rights and wrongs of flags, but I don’t think anyone would agree that it is okay to threaten women alone at night under any circumstances.”

John Cunningham, the local flag activist who placed the flags, denied allegations of threatening behavior. He said: “We had an endowment for Church Stretton, as we do everywhere else, and we are trying to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“When we hung the second flag on an eight- to nine-foot lamp post, this woman came out to confront us,” she described one encounter during installation.

In a statement, Shropshire Council said: “We will be removing all unauthorized flags from our street lighting columns and other highway assets. This will initially be in Shrewsbury, with plans for all unauthorized flags to be removed across the county over time.

“This includes flags that are damaged or unsafe, that pose a hazard, that obstruct signs, that pose a risk following severe weather, or that are installed without permission, regardless of their condition.

“We are also aware of increasing community tensions, including an increase in reports of harassment towards our residents, staff and local councillors. We are working closely with West Mercia Police and local partners to address situations where flags pose a safety risk or contribute to harassment, intimidation or harm.”

The council added that it recognized the “importance of flags” and was working with partners to support “a positive alternative, including exploring a locally designed flag” which the authority said would celebrate “Shropshire pride in a safe and inclusive way”.