Oxfordshire County Council has applied to the High Court for an injunction to prevent the continued unauthorised placement of flags on or near the public highway.
The move targets individuals associated with the organisation known as Raise the Colours and follows a formal legal notice in March 2026 and further pre-action letters sent to those individuals in May 2026, neither of which stopped the activity.
The council says the behaviour amounts to trespass, obstruction of the highway, and incidents where council teams, contractors and residents have faced confrontation or harassment during removals, creating safety risks and distress.
The High Court has issued the proceedings and the hearing will take place at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday 23 June.
Council leader Tim Bearder said the council supports flying flags on private property but draws a line at activity that intimidates residents or endangers safety, stressing this isn't about national pride but unlawful conduct causing fear and division.
‘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,’ he said.
‘However, there’s an important distinction between lawful expression and activity that puts people at risk or intimidates residents in their own communities.’
