Oxfordshire County Council has issued a formal legal notice to the group ‘Raise the Colours’ following the unauthorised installation of flags on highway infrastructure across the county.
The decision to issue this notice follows the repeated installation of flags on or near highways without consent, which the county council leader Liz Leffman describes as ‘an act of intimidation and division’.
Attaching items to lampposts, signs, or roundabouts without express consent is illegal under the Highways Act 1980 and national planning regulations.
The county council said the decision to issue the legal notice was made after reports of harassment directed at residents and council workers attempting to remove the displays.
‘We are proud of our diverse communities in Oxfordshire and of being the first county council to be awarded Local Authority of Sanctuary status. We proudly fly the Union Jack and St George’s flags, which are visible symbols of democracy and unity,’ she said.
‘However, 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.’
