In the latest salvo against British identity, a Liberal Democrat-run council has formally branded the simple act of flying the England flag an “act of intimidation and division” – and backed it up with a legal notice threatening residents with prosecution.
Oxfordshire County Council is pushing a county-wide crackdown by on the grassroots Raise the Colours campaign, which has been putting up Union Flags and St George’s Crosses in public spaces as a straightforward show of patriotism. The council’s message is clear: national symbols are now suspect.
A Liberal Democrat-run council is attempting to ban residents from raising "intimidating" St George’s Cross and Union flags, issuing a formal stop notice to the Raise the Colours campaign group. https://t.co/IlHHsPZG0v
— Toby Young (@toadmeister) April 1, 2026
The council issued the formal stop notice to the Raise the Colours group, warning that continued flag displays could lead to civil and even criminal proceedings. Council leader Liz Leffman charged that “The widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division that is having a real and damaging impact on our communities.”
Another council wants to stop patriots from raising the Union Jack flag.
— Talk (@TalkTV) April 1, 2026
"The abuse you get is always from white university students up to middle age.
"It is NEVER from the ethnic minorities!" @TVKev @FLYtheFLAG_uk pic.twitter.com/0suw5PA5QQ
She added that residents and council teams removing the flags “had been subject to abuse and threatening behaviour” when challenging those installing them. “This is totally unacceptable,” Leffman said.
She added, “The council has a responsibility to act where behaviour undermines community cohesion and the safe and inclusive use of public spaces. That is why we are taking firm action. We won’t hesitate to take further legal steps where necessary to protect residents and support the cohesion of our communities.”
This comes just weeks after a leaked UK Government “social cohesion” strategy branded the flying of English, Scottish, and Union Jack flags as potential “tools of hate.”
The draft document explicitly claimed these national symbols were sometimes used “to exclude or intimidate” and stated that “the extreme right has tried to turn symbols of pride into tools of hate.”
‘They despise symbols of national pride!'
— GB News (@GBNEWS) March 7, 2026
Deputy Leader of Durham County Council Darren Grimes unleashes a furious attack against the Labour Government, as a leaked review dubs flying UK flags from lampposts as ‘tools of hate’. pic.twitter.com/PXreBCY0mB
Additionally, earlier this year councils across the country admitted spending over £100,000 of taxpayers’ money hiring contractors to rip down Union flags and St George’s crosses from lampposts.
Freedom of Information requests showed the true cost is even higher. Medway Council alone burned nearly £11,600 removing over 700 flags. Yet when ordinary Brits push back by flying them anyway, the state responds with legal threats.
British and English flags are returning across Birmingham after the council lifted a previous ban. National symbols fly once more, sparking debates over identity, community, and civic expression. #Birmingham #England #UKFlags #NationalIdentity pic.twitter.com/dvrUI9JeDp
— Zinnia Embry (@Nemanja4252) March 13, 2026
The Raise the Colours campaign emerged directly from public frustration over mass immigration, grooming scandals, and taxpayer-funded hotels for illegal migrants. Rather than address those root issues, authorities are criminalising the visible symbols of the host culture. Flying the flag that represents the very nation these officials are supposed to serve is now labelled divisive.
Leffman and her Lib Dem colleagues are not protecting “inclusivity.” They are erasing it. British communities have every right to celebrate their heritage without being painted as extremists. The same councils that bend over backwards for every foreign flag and cultural demand suddenly discover “intimidation” when the St George’s Cross goes up.
This is the logical endpoint of years of institutional hostility toward British identity. First the Union Flag was quietly sidelined, then the St George’s Cross was mocked as “far-right,” and now councils are issuing legal notices to stop it altogether. The message to patriots is unmistakable: keep your head down or face the consequences.
Britain doesn’t need more lectures on “cohesion” from people who treat its flag as a hate symbol. It needs leaders who defend the right of citizens to be proud of their country without apology. Until that changes, groups like Raise the Colours will keep flying the flag – and more residents will notice exactly who is trying to stop them.
Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.
More news on our radar
