Union and St George's flags have been put on lampposts to protest against a city council's decision to remove them, purportedly for safety reasons. Claims that British flags were taken down in Birmingham earlier this week while Palestinian flags were left up caused public outcry. Birmingham City Council - which declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2023 - confirmed that it took down 200 items from street furniture this year, including Palestinian flags - but some were subsequently replaced.

The guidance related to the flags was issued earlier this year, with the council stressing it didn't target the Union Jack or St George's flags but, rather, any unauthorised items attached to lamppost that could put the lives of pedestrians and motorists at risk. Yet, this move seemingly sparked a retaliatory movement from around the country, referred to on social media as "Operation Raise the Colours". Clips and pictures show St George's flags seemingly being attached to lampposts in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, where locals have protested against the housing of migrants inside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf in recent weeks.

Footage also shows a group of individuals thought to be on their way to attach flags to lampposts in Tower Hamlets. Another picture showed a group of men attaching a Union Flag to a lamppost outside a Turkish barber and Chinese takeaway.

Among those posting footage online of flags flying in a residential street was Reform councillor in County Durham, Darren Grimes, who wrote: "This is glorious! Best trend ever." He didn't share where the footage was filmed.

He added in a different post: "This may seem tame in protest terms, but even the simple act of flying our own flags is viewed as controversial today. Patriots have taken it upon themselves to place our flag around the country."

"We are taking these down, but we need the support of the police due to issues that have cropped up when we first tried to take them down," Labour-run Birmingham City Council Cabinet member Majid Mahmood wrote in February about taking down the flags, according to the Daily Mail.

More recently, a local council's spokesman also said, after stressing Palestinian flags as well as British flags had been taken down: "People who attach unauthorised items to lampposts could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk.

"We [are] continuing to do this every week and would ask that staff doing this work are allowed to continue this work unhindered.

"Placing unauthorised attachments on street furniture, particularly tall structures like lampposts, can be dangerous - that is why the council always has to 'stress test' assets around any formal events or celebrations."

This comes as it emerged on Sunday that Tower Hamlet, run by the pro-Gaza Aspire Party, also planned to remove any St George flags from council properties including lamppost "as soon as possible".