Council suspends flag removals after workers threatened.
A council has halted the removal of saltire flags from lampposts after workers were threatened and intimidated.
Aberdeenshire Council stated that it had asked the assistance of Police Scotland before the operation could resume.
Flags have been erected in towns and cities across Scotland following a social media campaign by a group behind an anti-asylum seeker demonstration.
Falkirk Council also stated that staff had been threatened. It said the saltires were installed without authority and created a safety risk.
Aberdeenshire Council said: “Abuse is being reported to Police Scotland. Removal has been suspended for today.
“The assistance of Police Scotland will be requested to allow removal to resume.”
Aberdeen City Council also confirmed that it was removing flags.
Aberdeenshire Council said: “Abuse is being reported to Police Scotland. Removal has been suspended for today.
“The assistance of Police Scotland will be requested to allow removal to resume.”
Aberdeen City Council also confirmed that it was removing flags.
Aberdeenshire Council reported a significant increase in flags flown from streetlights, as well as complaints of flags painted on highways.
“Sadly, we have also seen a rise in our staff being threatened when taking them down,” the employees said.
“It is entirely unacceptable to threaten any of our staff carrying out their jobs, and we will be asking police to get involved.”
They stated that it was illegal to “hang anything from street lights, or to damage the road in any way.”
“Any unauthorised installations will be removed and handed in to the local police station where the owners can collect them,” they said.
Aberdeenshire Council reported a significant increase in flags flown from streetlights, as well as complaints of flags painted on highways.
“Sadly, we have also seen a rise in our staff being threatened when taking them down,” the employees said.
“It is entirely unacceptable to threaten any of our staff carrying out their jobs, and we will be asking police to get involved.”
They stated that it was illegal to “hang anything from street lights, or to damage the road in any way.”
“Any unauthorised installations will be removed and handed in to the local police station where the owners can collect them,” they said.
The rise of saltire flags throughout Scotland follows similar scenes in England, when union jacks and St George’s flags were strung from lampposts and painted on traffic islands.
Social media groups, such as the Midlands-based Weoley Warriors, have encouraged individuals to participate.
They label themselves a “group of proud English men with a common goal to show Birmingham and the rest of the country of how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements” .
They have raised more than £21,000 through a crowdfunding campaign for “flags, poles and cable ties”.
In some other regions, flag raising appears to be spontaneous, coinciding with a politically tense period in the United Kingdom regarding national identity and belonging.
There have been rallies outside some hotels sheltering asylum seekers, with flags prominently displayed among the banners.
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