After South Gloucestershire announced it would remove lamppost flags, the pressure mounts on Bristol to decideUnion flags were first tied to lampposts in West Street, Bedminster, in early SeptemberUnion flags were first tied to lampposts in West Street, Bedminster, in early September(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)

The debate about St George and Union flags being hung from lampposts in and around Bristol has now moved into the world of online petitions, with pressure growing on Bristol City Council to follow the lead of South Gloucestershire and make a decision to take the flags down.

One petition has been set up calling on City Hall chiefs to take the flags down, while another petition has been set up calling on Bristol and South Gloucestershire to let them stay up.

Flags have been raised on lampposts right across Bristol, from Lawrence Weston to Kingswood, since a viral social media campaign called ‘Raise the Colours’ was started by a former senior member of the far-right English Defence League and Britain First, in Birmingham in early August. Late last week, South Gloucestershire Council announced it would be taking down flags on street furniture, but Bristol City Council is still allowing the flags to remain.

In some parts of the city, local residents have formed groups of neighbours who are getting together to take down flags put up in their street, and replacing them with messages of welcome, and even cuddly toys tied to lampposts with union flags and messages.

Bristol City Council has taken a largely neutral stance on the presence of flags on lampposts in the past six weeks or so. Questions on the council’s policy have been directed to a blog from council leader Tony Dyer, who wrote a lengthy post on the council’s website in late August explaining his and the council’s position – which criticised the use of the flag to ‘sow division and hate’, but said flags would only be removed ‘as a last resort’.

“When we do this, it may be frustrating for many people, especially when emotions are running high,” he wrote. “But I want to reassure everyone that our approach is always about balance and fairness. We support community expression, but we also have a responsibility to ensure public safety.

“Our national flag is a symbol that represents all of us – each community working together for the benefit of our city and our country. It should not be allowed to become a symbol that only represents those who seek to sow division and hate. I cannot say it in strong enough terms that anyone who thinks our national flag should be a symbol for exclusion and hatred fundamentally misunderstands both this country’s, and this city’s, culture and heritage, and the heritage of the flag itself,” he added.

READ MORE: All you need to know about the law around flags on lampposts in BristolREAD MORE: Flags that leave people ‘intimidated’ will be removed, says South Gloucestershire leaders

“We cannot know what a flag represents to those displaying it and regardless have no right to remove others’ symbols of expression. We should also be careful not to make assumptions about the motivations of others, most of whom simply want to celebrate their English heritage – but, as Leader of the Council, I am also aware that due to the actions of a few, for many of you seeing flags go up in this way may be worrying so as Leader of the Council I want to say this loudly and clearly: Bristol has always been, and continues to be, a City of Sanctuary that is proud of and values its diversity. We will continue to be a City of Sanctuary, and we will continue to provide an environment in our city where all of us are free to celebrate our heritage whatever that heritage may be,” he added.

That ‘balanced’ approach means the city council is taking down flags deemed to be a health and safety or highways risk, but that has not been very often at all, and there is no policy to take down flags wherever they are.

Some of the cuddly toys that were tied to lampposts in Ashton and Bedminster over the weekend of September 20-21. The toys, bearing messages of hope and solidarity and Union flags, were put on lampposts after Union flags and St George flags were removed. Most of the toys themselves were removed by unknown people on the first night they were placed thereSome of the cuddly toys that were tied to lampposts in Ashton and Bedminster over the weekend of September 20-21. The toys, bearing messages of hope and solidarity and Union flags, were put on lampposts after Union flags and St George flags were removed.
Most of the toys themselves were removed by unknown people on the first night they were placed there(Image: Bristol Post submitted)

That differs from South Gloucestershire Council, which late last week said that, as autumn approached, they would take down flags to prevent road safety hazards, but also because they were being used by those who put them up in an ‘intimidating and divisive’ way.

Now, Stand Up To Racism has called on Bristol City Council to follow suit. A petition on Change.org said: “The flags hung on Bristol’s lampposts fuel tensions and divisions in our diverse city. They have been hung by individuals and organisations with a racist agenda and are being imposed on local residents against their will. Unsurprisingly, they’ve been accompanied by an increase in racist violence and hate crime.

“Stand Against Racism & Inequality, has seen a steep rise in referrals for racist attacks and hate crimes in Bristol, up 10 per cent from the same time last year. In South Bristol wards, referrals have increased by 41 per cent. After flags appeared in Brentry a 9-year old girl was shot with an air-gun. A swastika appeared in Lockleaze.

READ MORE: Police called after flag row breaks out on Bristol streetREAD MORE: Heated scenes on South Bristol street as Union flag-raisers meet the neighbours

“The flags do not represent Bristol, a City of Sanctuary, with a proud history of fighting racism and inequality. We, the people of Bristol, call upon Bristol City Council to immediately remove the flags hung from lampposts around the city,” the group added.

Meanwhile, a social media profile called ‘Bristol Patriots’ have set up a petition of their own on Change.org, called ‘Preserve our national flags in Bristol and South Gloucestershire’.

“Our national flags are a proud symbol of British culture and heritage, and it’s disheartening to see the narrative being created around them by the government and local councils,” the petition stated.

A group of people tie Union flags high on lampposts in Luckwell Road and Duckmoor Road in Bedminster, South Bristol, on the evening of Wednesday, September 10, 2025A group of people tie Union flags high on lampposts in Luckwell Road and Duckmoor Road in Bedminster, South Bristol, on the evening of Wednesday, September 10, 2025(Image: Bristol Post)

“Recent statements by the Police Commissioner and certain MPs and councillors have raised concerns, yet this narrative that our flags denote hate or racism is simply misguided and inaccurate. Our flags represent unity, pride, and the timeless spirit of our nation, not division or intolerance,” they added.

“There is no evidence to suggest that the presence of national flags fosters an atmosphere of hate. On the contrary, they are celebrated emblems of our shared history. We should rather focus on fostering equitable dialogues and promoting diversity while respecting the symbols that have long defined us,” they added.

“To the Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils, we urge you to listen to the voices of your constituents and allow the national flags to remain hanging throughout our streets. Please, do not let unfounded narratives dictate decisions that discard our cultural symbols,” they said.

The ‘Bristol Patriots’ profile began on many social media channels in early August, and as well as sharing details to try to organise the series of marches in Bristol City Centre in recent weeks, the profile appears to be the same as the group or individual who sent letters to most schools in Bristol back in August threatening headteachers over their work with the City of Sanctuary organisation, which one school described as containing ‘serious misinformation’ and as being ‘morally reprehensible‘.