PROTESTERS staged a demonstration outside South Gloucestershire Council’s offices in Yate today, demanding that it reverse its policy of taking down flags from lamp posts.
About 30 people gathered outside the council offices in Badminton Road waving Union and St George flags and put up posters criticising the government and Prime Minister.
Since August flags have been put up with zip ties on lamp posts in areas including Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Frampton Cotterell, Mangotsfield and Kingswood.
Red crosses have also been sprayed on road markings such as zebra crossings, and on speed limit signs.
The council issued a statement in September saying it would remove flags where they “pose a potential danger or safety issue” and repaint road markings where necessary to maintain road safety.
A few days later council leader Maggie Tyrrell and co-leader Ian Boulton issued a joint statement that some of the flags were being used in an “intimidating or divisive” way and would be removed to “ensure that our shared spaces remain safe, welcoming, and respectful for all”.
Today’s protest was organised by a group called Bristol Patriots.
One of the group’s earlier protests in central Bristol attracted a counter-protest and a large police presence.
There were no counter-protesters at the demonstration in Yate and only around four police officers present.
One protester, who said they live in Chipping Sodbury but asked not to be named, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s not a case of a movement being racist against migrants or anything like that. It’s our national flag.
“All the migrants who come here and settle in this country and our culture, this flag represents them too. But for years they’ve drummed it into us to say ‘you can’t fly your flag’.
“It’s a nationwide thing to stand up against this tyrannical government. They come down on us like a dictatorship.
“I donated 30 flags for Chipping Sodbury. I thought what a better way for when we have the Remembrance Sunday parade, for our soldiers who lost their lives. The council said ‘no, you can’t have that, it’s racist’. We’re not thugs trying to cause racial tension.”
‘It’s nothing to do with racism at all’ – Yate protester
Protester Sue Mills, of Yate, said: “They stopped my heating allowance last year and yet they put illegals up in hotels, feed them, clothe them, and keep them warm. They keep giving our money away to other countries, when we need it. The hospices need it, and veterans need it. We’ve got veterans on the streets. Illegals shouldn’t come before.
“The flag means I’m celebrating my country. It’s nothing to do with racism at all. It seems like we can celebrate everybody else’s flags, but not our own, which ain’t right.
“Where I live there’s a Welsh flag, and nobody takes that down. If it were an English flag, the council would take it down.”
The Bristol Patriots group was set up earlier this year, as an offshoot of a national online campaign called the Great British National Strike.
Some of the protesters were asking where flags that are taken down end up, including some that were paid for with a fundraiser at a pub.
A council spokesperson said people can collect flags with “proof of ownership” from their local police station. The most recently removed batch are at Chipping Sodbury police station, according to the council.
‘Genuine concern’ – council leaders
The statement previously released by the council’s Liberal Democrat leader and Labour co-leader said: “The Union Flag and the St George’s Cross are symbols that belong to everyone. However, their placement in unauthorised locations and recent campaigns and behaviours linked to the unauthorised display of flags have caused genuine concern among many residents.
“While most people display flags respectfully, we have received reports that a small number of individuals have used them in ways that feel intimidating or divisive. This behaviour is not representative of the values we share in South Gloucestershire; we believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and included in their community.
“In addition, as we enter autumn and approach the time of year when clocks go back, weather conditions such as high winds pose a greater risk of damage to flags and the structures they are attached to.
“Flags on lamp posts and other infrastructure can become loose or torn, creating hazards for road users and pedestrians. Additionally, they can obscure essential street lighting, CCTV and road signage, compromising visibility and public safety.
“To protect public safety and support community cohesion, we will be removing unauthorised flags and graffiti from public spaces. This action is not about discouraging pride or celebration, but about ensuring that our shared spaces remain safe, welcoming, and respectful for all. As a council, we are proud of our values that we care about all our residents and communities and work together in respectful and inclusive ways.”
By Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service