Local councils have spent at least £70,000 removing or taking down unauthorised flags, according to freedom of information (FoI) requests sent to more than 380 local authorities.
Over the summer, a campaign dubbed “Operation Raise the Colours” encouraged people to put up union jacks and the St George’s cross in public spaces in the name of patriotism.
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However, numerous councils have since removed unauthorised flags from public property such as lampposts and road signs, citing significant safety concerns.
On Thursday, Medway council said that it had spent nearly £11,600 taking down 727 flags in the Kent borough “to make the community feel safe again”.
Labour councillor Alex Paterson, who is responsible for community safety, highways and enforcement for Medway, told BBC Kent that this was “money well spent”, adding that the movement to put up the flags was the work of “far-right agitators”.
The anti-racism advocacy group Hope not Hate has reported that the nationwide “flagging” campaign was organised by far-right figures, including Andrew Currien, also known as Andy Saxon, a longtime ally of Stephen-Yaxley Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson.
The FoI data also revealed that Yorkshire councils had spent more than £30,000 removing flags, following an increase in “flag flying” that had coincided with a rise in racist incidents in the region, including against children.
The “deflagging” FoI requests were submitted by Pablo O’Hana, a political adviser, who made headlines in August after he filmed himself being confronted by a man while he removed flags from a Manchester footbridge.
O’Hana said he believed the true cost of taking down the flags could be far higher than £70,000, as most councils reported removing flags but didn’t document any expenditure, suggesting they incorporated the costs into existing budgets.
Meanwhile, Reform Party-led Nottinghamshire council has faced criticism for committing to spend more than £75,000 putting up 150 union jacks across 82 locations in the city. Last week, the council reported a forecast budget shortfall of nearly £16m by 2029 despite extensive efficiency measures and overspend of £3.1m in the current financial year.
Council leader Mick Barton has defended putting up the flags, claiming it will “strengthen community spirit and cohesion”.
Photograph by Richard Saker/The Observer