The flags were raised by anti-immigration campaign groups as part of a UK-wide protest called “Raise the Colours.”

Councils across Scotland have said workers have faced abuse while attempting to detach Saltires from street lights.

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Glasgow City Council leader, Susan Aitken, has clarified that the removal of flags will not be a priority for council resources.

She told STV News: “It will be dealt with as part of normal operational activities by the teams who work on this.

“It’s not something that we will divert resources to deal with.

“We would take flags down before they start to look tatty and deteriorate, which usually happens quite quickly.”

The Tartan Team, a Glasgow-based group responsible for raising the flags across the city, said the Saltires were not related to immigration but were intended to highlight issues with the NHS and crime.

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A spokesperson said: “We wouldn’t be the country we are without immigration.

“Flags are doing no harm, the council should be worried about other problems.”

The raising of Saltires follows several protests and counter-protests regarding the housing of asylum seekers in hotels.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) condemned attacks on council workers removing the flags as “cowardly.”

General secretary Roz Foyer said: “It’s as despicable as it is moronic that those who seek to raise the saltire under the false guise of protecting our community would then seek to attack those public servants who serve our community.”

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A Glasgow City Council spokesperson expressed concern about the risk to safety created by unauthorised flag attachments on lampposts.

The spokesperson said: “Attaching flags on lampposts without authorisation creates a risk to personal and public safety and we urge people to cease this activity.

“This issue will be managed appropriately within the scope of our available resources.”