Why are St George’s flags being put up in some areas and why is it controversial?
In recent days, St George’s flags and union jacks appeared in regions around the country and have been hurried back again.
Birmingham and the Tower Hamlets area in East London were seen lamp poles and graffiti flags of St George’s crosses at intersections.
However, the flags are controversial because they are believed to appear as part of an organized effort called “Raise Operation Colors üyor, which receives the support of extreme right figures.
Both Councils in the regions – Birmingham City Council and Tower Hamlets Council – Flags out of the lamp poles. They told the residents that they were told to protect and maintain the Council infrastructure, as it was told to the residents of the housing, which is a policy that determines which flags fly and in which situations it flys ”.
Here is an explanation of what is happening and why it is controversial:
What happened?
Recently, many St George’s and Union Jack flags have been established in some parts of the UK.
Residents saw Manchester Road in Tower Hamlets, covered with St George’s flags at the weekend, but only a few remained on Monday.
In some parts of Birmingham, Weoley Castle and Northfield residents put similar flags at the weekend.
The BBC reported that at least six Mini Roundabout in Birmingham region was painted with red crosses to resemble the British flag.
Both councils tried to remove the flags from the lamp poles, saying that they were removed as part of routine care.
Why is it controversial?
There is a fear that the flag may be division in communities and that there may be anti -immigration intention behind it.
It is believed that they have risen in the “upgrade colors” section, which is also supported by far-right figures, including Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson.
The far -right group of British first expressed support for this and claimed that they donated 200 flags of the campaign, the founding partner of the campaign.
ST George and Union Jack Flags are usually a main feature of extreme right protests outside the hotels in the houses of asylum seekers and are sometimes associated with extreme right nationalism.
In racist rebellions that emerged after last year’s Southport attack, many participants were seen to wear or shake such flags.
Birmingham painted intersections were criticized by local residents as “immoral vandalism ..
A man said that the paint makes the paint feel like an excuse not only patriotic, but just for a xenophobia. Another told the BBC that the flags were “completely opposed” if they were “anti -immigration”.
However, those who participate in “upgrade colors ında do this for“ patriotic ”reasons.
What did the councils say?
A Council spokesman in Tower Hamlets said he was aware that the people were aware that he put st George flags on various structures, but the council said that the council “which flags fly from the Council buildings and determine which situations determined a policy.
Sözcü said: “While realizing that people want to express their views, we have responsibility to monitor and maintain the Council infrastructure. In cases where the flags are added to the infrastructure they have, they can be removed as part of routine care.”
Birmingham Municipal Assembly warned that it was a danger to drivers and pedestrians after removing the flags on the lamp poles.
The Minister said that the personnel were instructed to remove all the annexes from the lamp poles before raising energy -saving LED street lighting.
The Council said that the work will help to reduce the energy usage, carbon emissions and maintenance costs. He added that approximately 200 advertising banners and flags of the lamp poles have been removed since the beginning of the year.
Sözcü said that he had routinely removed elements such as advertising signs, cherry birds and flags by performing “stress tests ındaki in street furniture before official events or celebrations.
What did the government say?
The government did not comment on specific cases or “upgrade of operation colors ..
However, on Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I think the Prime Minister always spoke of the pride of being a British and the patriotism he felt.
“I think he spoke before […] At least soon, in relation to the successful campaign of the lions in the Euro.
“Patriotism will always be something important for him.”
When Sir Keir was asked whether he supported people who put flags in English, the spokesman said: “Certainly patriotism put British flags.
“British Football Team – Women and Men – When you try to win a game for us, we put British flags all over the Downing Street.”
Who started the online movement?
The movement seems to have begun after some streets in Birmingham last week.
Quickly, extreme right figures expressed their support for those called “upgrade colors of operational colors ,, asking people to put flags in their local regions.
Stephen Yaxley Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, expressed his support to him at the weekend: “The message to councils who want to take over the flags of the UK … Operation colors increased.”
Leader Paul Golding supported the campaign, a far -right group, who was imprisoned for hate crimes against Muslims in 2018.
Since then, different groups have emerged in social media. Collecting a donation from a group, Weoley Warriors collected more than 11,000 money to help buy flags, poles and cable bonds and received demands from residents for certain ways.
