Flag injunction: What It Means for Birmingham Residents
Tomorrow Birmingham City Council is seeking an injunction action to prevent ‘Raise the Colours’ and any ‘Person’s unknown’ from coming into Birmingham and putting up flags. It isn’t hard to understand why many residents are upset. There has been a lot of ‘fake news’ and conflicting opinions, not least from our own Councillors. We at the Heathan will give you the facts:
What is the Injunction?
Birmingham City Council is seeking an interim High Court injunction at the Birmingham Civil & Family Justice Centre. The legal action targets Ryan Bridge, founder of the group Raise the Colours, along with Julian Keane aka ‘Elon’, Elliot Stanley, Ross Child aka ‘Ross the Don’, Billy Allison, Ben Cullen, Mark Keating. None of the defendants live in Birmingham.
- The council claims they have been systematically attaching Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags to lamp posts, street signs, railings.
- Safety risks involve ladders and cherry pickers near active roadways, damage or hazards from falling attachments, and blocked roads.
- There has been escalating hostility, harassment, assault directed at council officers, contractors trying to remove unauthorized flags and local residents.
The injunction will ban attaching flags, banners, or signage to public infrastructure anywhere in Birmingham without express written permission. It will restrict ‘Raise the Colours’ from blocking highway maintenance teams or harassing, alarming, or distressing council staff and contractors. Most important to me, it will protect residents, granting police power of arrest for breaches quickly. Violating the injunction would constitute contempt of court, carrying penalties of fines, asset seizure, or imprisonment.
The injunction does not express an opinion on patriotism or flag-flying. It does not restrict residents from displaying flags on private residential or commercial property. It applies solely to public council-owned assets and highways. An ‘Interim’ injunction can be served immediately, lasting up to 12 months. Once the hearing is complete, then an injunction typically acts between one and three years.
Isn’t it already illegal?
Yes. It is already a civil breach and can constitute minor offenses (obstruction or minor damage). Without the injunction standard criminal law or removal by the Council has been ineffective in practice:
- Minor statutory offenses (like simple highway obstruction) require slow criminal prosecutions, small fines, or formal warning letters that rarely deter repeat activity. An injunction escalates the behaviour to a High Court order which will lead to faster enforcement.
- Breaching a High Court injunction is Contempt of Court, with much higher consequences—including up to two years in prison, unlimited fines, or seizure of assets (e.g. Cherry Pickers)
- Ryan and many of ‘Raise the Colours’ have already been repeatedly arrested and charged on multiple serious offences. The injunction gives the police the authority to detain them on the spot, preventing their illegal activities quickly.
- The Council have removed unauthorised flags only to see them being reattached hours later. The injunction gives a legal barrier to stop the act before it happens.
What do residents say?
“It’s not about being proud of the flag – it’s the way it’s done. People coming into neighbourhoods overnight on cherry pickers, taping stuff to street signs, and filming anyone who looks at them funny feels like turf-marking, not pride.”
“When you see guys standing on the top rungs of ladders right beside a busy dual carriageway during peak traffic, without high-vis or safety barriers, it’s a distraction and an accident waiting to happen. The council shouldn’t have to wait for a flag to blow into someone’s windshield to act.”
“It’s deliberate and targetted. They make me feel unwelcome in my own Country, and it’s a disgrace they’re using our flag to do it.”
Councillors views
“There’s a huge amount of evidence of the aggressive, intimidating, violent behaviour of Raise the Colours and that is being used to request an injunction against that organisation. As Green party councillors, I’m not going to sit back and let this continue. It will be stopped.”
The local Reform UK group publicly condemned the decision, describing the council’s High Court injunction as “extraordinary”. They argued that the authority should be prioritising core municipal services like waste collection rather than spending public funds fighting the display of national flags, as has ‘Raise the Colours’.
What can we do?
At the Heathan, we abhor aggressive, intimidating and violent behaviour. True patriotism means standing up for our community and for unity. Everyone should feel valued and included under our shared flag.
- Show your support for people affected by ‘Raise the Colours’ illegal actions. Make sure everyone understands why Birmingham City Council has had to seek an injunction against them.
- Balsall Heath has a proud tradition of welcoming people, and welcoming change. Balsall Heath in Changing Times exhibition tour next week – to share our experiences, what it means to be a Heathan!
- Support humanitarian organisations who support displaced communities around the world and in Birmingham – promote unity. e.g. I Choose Love, Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham, Medecin San Frontieres and Stand up to Racism Birmingham.
