HERTFORDSHIRE County Council has resumed the removal of unauthorised flags from lampposts after more than 600 requests pressing for them to be taken down reports the Stortford Indie.

The authority paused the operation after staff were abused and threatened in the midst of Operation Raise the Colours, a campaign to display the Cross of St George and the Union Jack.

While the masked men hoisting the flags claim to be patriots, many residents have felt intimidated by their nationalism and anti-immigrant stance.

Director of highways and strategic operations Tony Boucher updated elected members in an email on Tuesday (September 30).

He said: “Since we started seeing flags going up around the county in August, we have made it clear in public statements that we support the right of individuals and organisations to fly these flags on their own property. We too fly them outside our main offices and other key buildings, such as fire stations.

“However, to ensure public safety, we have a longstanding policy of not allowing any items to be attached to lampposts and other street fixtures we are responsible for without our permission.

“Our approach has been for our highway teams to remove unauthorised flags and other items as part of their day-to-day work looking after Hertfordshire’s roads.”

Mr Boucher said: “Sadly, when our crews began to take flags down earlier in the month, there were instances of abuse and threatening behaviour by some members of the public.

“It is completely unacceptable that our front-line workers were subjected to this sort of behaviour for simply doing their jobs, and we paused further removal of flags while we considered the best, most efficient and safest way of doing it.”

He told councillors his team had received more than 600 requests to remove the flags and, following further discussions, the authority had resumed its removal operation.

Mr Boucher was clear: “This work will be carried out in a way that is proportionate, avoids unnecessary escalation and focuses on safety-led operational decisions.

“It goes without saying that we will not tolerate any abuse directed towards our front-line colleagues.”

Requests for flag removal can be made via the fault reporting system at 

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/highways-roads-and-pavements/report-a-problem/report-a-street-light-or-pothole.aspx.