Council says it will not prioritise flag removal

By Gbam Godwin Last updated Sep 13, 2025

Council says it will not prioritise flag removal.

After being asked to exhibit “zero tolerance” and remove flags hung from lampposts, a council stated that it would not prioritise their removal.

This week, Union and St George’s Cross flags emerged along Dereham Road and Barn Road in Norwich, prompting police to respond to connected occurrences near a mosque.

Maxine Webb, an independent councillor, told a Norfolk County Council meeting that a group hanging them in her ward aimed to “victimise and harass,” and urged the administration to remove the flags from the city and elsewhere.

“We don’t have the resources to go out every time someone puts up a flag across the county; it’s impossible,” said Graham Plant, Conservative cabinet member for transportation.

“They are the national flags of our country, we should not be calling them xenophobic or racist in any shape or form.”

Allegations of racism were a police concern, and the council would only remove the flags during routine maintenance due to the expense and resources involved, he said.

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Maxine Webb, a woman with grey curly hair in a bob style, is standing outside on a sunny day. She is wearing a dark blue shirt. Behind her are red brick buildings and curved grey steps, the exterior of the Forum in Norwich. — Maxine Webb said she considered chanting by the group erecting flags was racist

On Tuesday night, dozens of flags appeared along Dereham Road, and the words “All welcome” were written on a hoarding at the Bowthorpe Road junction.

An online video depicted a group of 20 to 30 people screaming and raising flags, with passing motorists blaring their horns in support.

Shaun Whitmore/BBC A road junction with several lamposts, some of which have the Union flag or St George's cross flag attached to them

Webb told the infrastructure and development committee on Wednesday that the council has a clear policy against persons attaching illegal goods to public highways, as well as a duty to eradicate unlawful discrimination.

“Will the council show zero tolerance and remove the flags here and elsewhere as a priority?” She claimed the group that put up the flags on Tuesday screamed racial shouts and wanted to “victimise and harass” those who visited the mosque on Dereham Road.

Following the meeting, she stated that she was referring to the shout “Whose streets?” “Our streets,” which she deemed racist.

An image taken at night - and from across a street - of about 40 people standing outside a cream-coloured former pub on a street corner. They have their backs to the camera and are wearing dark clothing. Three police officers in hi-vis jackets look on from across the junction, and two other officers in hi-vis are standing next to the group. The road is wet from rain. — About 40 people gathered outside Norwich central mosque on Wednesday night

A county council spokesman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that if there were any issues about flags on public highways, the council would continue to work with police.

“While the council does not encourage people to put flags up on lampposts and other street furniture, we do not regard these as long-term features,” the mayor stated.

“As such, the council will not prioritise the removal of such flags over any more urgent, safety-related highway activity, and they will be removed when we next have relevant maintenance crews in the vicinity.”

Norfolk Police told the BBC that they had increased evening patrols in the Dereham Road area to reassure locals and would continue to monitor the situation.

On Thursday night, cops responded to a verbal disagreement over flag display, with one group claiming being followed to West End Street by another. According to police, no offences have been disclosed.

Officers responded to complaints of a verbal dispute between two groups on Wednesday night, and a man in his 20s was later arrested and released on suspicion of common assault.

Police were called out again on Tuesday night for allegations of a “group of people shouting and behaving aggressively,” but no further action was taken.