Flag removal is to begin in York the council leader has announced, saying ‘many in our communities are feeling threatened’.
Originally City of York Council said most of the flags attached to lampposts in recent weeks would stay in place.
Later however, council leader Claire Douglas said the flags could remain up while the Women’s Rugby World Cup was playing, as York was a host city.
The tournament is now coming to a close, and so the days of the flags are numbered.
Cllr Douglas acknowledged that the flying of the flag was a symbol of pride and patriotism for many.
But for others the flags remind them of “their experience of racism and persecution.
“These are much more recent memories for those who have been the subject of totally unacceptable racist attacks or graffiti in the last month, coinciding with the increase in flag flying across our city.
“Many in our communities are feeling threatened and uncomfortable. Children have been racially abused by adults on their way to school and council staff are being abused simply for doing their jobs of removing graffiti from our roads. This cannot go on.”
Council leader’s statement in full
She went on: “The Women’s Rugby World Cup in York is over and flag removal will commence.
“Roundabouts, pedestrian crossings or buildings that are targeted with graffiti, including racist or other offensive graffiti, will be cleaned up as a matter of priority.”
Hundreds of flags have been installed, and the clear up would cost an estimated £250,000. That money could have been spent to “fill over 3,300 potholes and provide almost 12,000 hours of care for older and disabled residents”.
Cllr Douglas added: “The flag flyers have said that they want to get involved in community activities like litter picking and support for foodbanks.
“They have yet to come forward with suggestions on how they will constructively contribute to this in our city. A broken promise.”
Putting things on highway structures like lampposts without permission is illegal. York Central MP Rachael Maskell first urged the council to remove them two weeks ago.
Deputy council leader Pete Kilbane told YorkMix that “the national flag is being disrespected” – possibly unwittingly – by those installing them on lampposts.
“My concerns with the flags that are going up in York is that they’re particularly cheap, so they’re deteriorating quite quickly.
“They’re not being hung very well, so they’re half-cocked. Quite a lot of them are hanging upside down, especially the Union flags, and actually, they’re just being put up willy nilly.
“Some of them have been covering CCTV cameras.”
He was worried that a flag put up near the Minster may have “obscured the footage” of a crime last weekend.
“This is what happens when you have unauthorised use of public realm, and we need to make sure that we fly our flags proudly and in a controlled manner.”
Claire Douglas said: “We want to find ways for our national flags to be flown properly and respectfully, from flagpoles. This will involve flying them at full, rather than half-mast, and not upside down.”
She concluded: “It is extremely important to me that every man, woman and child feels and is safe, secure and valued in our communities, that our national flags are respected and flown appropriately, and we stand alongside those people in our communities who feel particularly threatened at the moment.
“I urge everyone to work with us and their neighbours to achieve this for the good of our beloved city.”
