Public space flag campaign under police review

Police say painting roundabouts is criminal damage and they are investigating in Bromsgrove.

Worcestershire police investigate St George flags on roundabouts

West Mercia Police said it is investigating incidents in Bromsgrove after roundabouts were painted with the St George flag. West Midlands Police said they are aware of roundabouts painted in South Birmingham and are carrying out inquiries. The campaign has grown, with thousands of flags tied to lampposts across Birmingham and Worcestershire as local campaigns gather pace. Reform-run Worcestershire County Council indicated the flags could remain on lampposts, while transport councillor Karl Perks condemned the act as illegal painting of red crosses on local roundabouts, calling it acts of vandalism.

The dispute centers on the boundary between public expression and the law. Public spaces become stages for identity and politics, and police responses define where protest ends and damage begins. The involvement of two police forces signals a regionwide interest and potential for escalating tensions around symbols used in public campaigns.

Highlights

Public spaces often test the limits of community voice and the rules that bind it.