Oxfordshire Council seeks to ban England flags from street lampposts

Oxfordshire County Council has applied for a High Court injunction in a bid to prevent the Raise the Colours group from hanging flags on lampposts across the county

20:13, 17 Jun 2026 Updated 20:34, 17 Jun 2026

A local authority is seeking to ban the widespread hanging of flags on lampposts across its county, saying it has "caused fear and division" within the community.

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Oxfordshire County Council has applied to the High Court for an injunction to end a flag-hanging campaign by Raise the Colours campaigners, who have placed Union Jack and St George's Cross flags next to roads across the county over the past year.

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It comes after the Liberal Democrat -led council issued a formal legal notice to the group in March ordering it to stop its activities, with further pre-action letters sent to named individuals in May. Residents have submitted more than 200 complaints to the council about the flags.

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Council leader Tim Bearder said the application for an injunction was "about protecting our residents, our workforce and the values we stand for as a county".

"This activity is not about national pride or unity," he said. "It is unlawful behaviour, which has caused fear and division within our communities."

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The council said the application followed "months of sustained activity involving the placement of flags on or near the public highway without permission", which has "created safety risks" and "caused distress within communities".

The activity has proven fatal. In November last year, a man suffered fatal head injuries after falling from a ladder while attempting to tie a Union flag to a lamppost in Bedminster, Bristol. Paul Lumber, 61 , had been drinking after watching a football match before going to attach the flags, an inquest at Avon Coroner's Court heard.

Last month, a man in his 30s was run over by a van after a group of people were taking down flags put up by Raise the Colours campaigners in Birmingham. The man sustained a broken leg that required surgery, police said.

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Oxfordshire County Council added that its employees, along with contractors and residents, have been subjected to "abuse and intimidation" when taking down flags, which has cost the council over £16,000.

The High Court has issued proceedings and a hearing is due to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, June 23. If granted, the civil injunction will prohibit further unauthorised installations on or near the highway and allow the council to take enforcement action if the order is breached.

Mr Bearder said: "We are proud of Oxfordshire’s diverse communities and of our Council of Sanctuary status. We proudly fly the Union Flag and St George’s flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display flags on their own private property.

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"However, there’s an important distinction between lawful expression and activity that puts people at risk or intimidates residents in their own communities."

Last month, Billy Allison , one of the founding members of Raise the Colours, was charged with murder in connection with an incident in Lichfield on May 24. Police said they were called to reports of two men being punched at the Ricco and Loren bar in Market Street, Lichfield, at 11.25pm that day.

One of the men, Matthew O'Gara, died in hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The second victim, Adam Cooper, was also taken to the hospital but has since been discharged, police said. Mr O'Gara was the director of The Plough pub in the nearby village of Huddlesford.