Oxfordshire County Council has secured a High Court injunction preventing individuals associated with the group Raise the Colours from placing unauthorised flags on or near the public highway.
The ruling, handed down at the Royal Courts of Justice on 23 June, requires named defendants to stop erecting flags across the county, not to encourage others to do so, and not to abuse staff who remove them.
The council said the activity – which has affected communities from Adderbury to Wallingford – has caused road safety risks, public distress, and harassment of council teams and contractors over the course of nearly a year.
A formal legal notice issued in March 2026 and pre-action letters sent in May failed to stop the behaviour, prompting the court application. Council leader Tim Bearder said the action was never about the flag itself, but about unlawful behaviour.
‘This is not, and never has been, about the flag. We proudly fly the Union Flag and St George’s flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display their own flags – including to show their support for the England football team,’ he said.
‘However, the behaviour we’ve seen from Raise the Colours is nothing to do with national pride or with support for the England team during the World Cup. It’s unlawful behaviour, which has put people at risk and caused fear within our communities for almost a year.
‘We have a clear responsibility to keep people safe and ensure our public spaces are welcoming for everyone. That’s why we’ve taken this action and why today’s decision by the court provides clarity and protects our colleagues and communities.’
