Now council launches High Court bid to BAN Union Jacks which 'intimidate diverse communities'

A Lib Dem-run council has escalated its campaign against flag-raisers to the High Court after a months-long feud over the Union Jack.

Just as patriotic Britons have been urged to fly their banners for the World Cup, Oxfordshire County Council has supercharged its legal battle to ban raising British flags on lampposts.

The council has applied for an injunction to block the Raise the Colours group from hanging the flag in a bid to "protect" its residents and "values".

It says it carried one out over incidents which included "trespass, obstruction of the highway, and incidents where council teams, contractors and residents have faced confrontation or harassment".

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The council named four specific members of the patriotic group to prevent them hoisting flags - which will also apply to any members of the public who show their national pride and put up flags near roads.

The High Court will hear the council's application at the Royal Courts of Justice on June 23 - the same day England take on Ghana for their second World Cup fixture.

Oxfordshire County Council has denied any link in timing between the World Cup and the injunction, with councillors insisting the legal filing had been in the works since March, according to The Telegraph.

A council spokesman said on Wednesday: "Residents across Oxfordshire, from Adderbury to Wallingford, have complained to the council about safety risks, intimidation and distress linked to this activity.

"The ongoing scale and persistence of the behaviour by Raise the Colours has created safety risks, caused distress within communities, and led to abuse and intimidation directed at council teams and residents."

Former England boss Harry Redknapp decried the anti-flag action in a major intervention last night.

"We are proud to be British - that is what we are. Fly your flags, be proud of your country. Don't be ashamed to be British," he said.

The county has so far spent £15,000 to remove more than 300 Union and St George's Cross flags from lampposts.

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Liam Walker, a Conservative councillor in Oxfordshire, told The Telegraph: "With the World Cup now underway and communities across the country coming together to support their national teams, many residents will question whether this is really the right time to be escalating matters further through the courts."

While Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said the injunction was "shameful" and urged the Lib Dems to "get off their virtue-signalling high horse and get behind our flag".

Reform UK, meanwhile, said "when done sensibly" it supported the flag-flying, adding it would never "shy away from celebrating our country".

"Instead of seeking an injunction to remove these flags, Oxford County Council should spend their time, resources and taxpayers’ money on improving roads, infrastructure and the day-to-day priorities of local residents," a spokesman said.

Council leader Tim Bearder said: "This application is about protecting our residents, our workforce and the values we stand for as a county.

"We are proud of Oxfordshire's diverse communities and of our Council of Sanctuary status.

"We proudly fly the Union Flag and St George's flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display flags on their own private property.

"However, there's an important distinction between lawful expression and activity that puts people at risk or intimidates residents in their own communities.

"This activity is not about national pride or unity. It is unlawful behaviour, which has caused fear and division within our communities.

"We have a clear responsibility to keep people safe and ensure our public spaces are welcoming and inclusive for everyone."

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