Mendip Roundabout flag raisers risk charges of “racially aggravated criminal damage”

The controversial movement of raising the flag on public property has returned to Weston-super-Mare with a Union Jack flag being placed on Mendip Roundabout by a group calling themselves “Flagman UK”, and with an insinuation that more flags are to come.

The incident comes just weeks after a recent meeting of Weston Town Council, where Inspector Lee Kerslake of Avon & Somerset Police Neighbourhood Policing Team was asked by councillors if any action had been taken regarding flags that had been attached to public property in the Whitecross Rd area of the town.

Inspector Kerslake informed the council that nobody was able to be identified as being responsible but confirmed that incident was being viewed as a criminal offence of “criminal damage with a racially aggravated factor”

It is uncertain at this time if this incident would be considered as the same type of offence

Flagman UK is one of a number of online groups who place flags on public property and promote and attend far right political rallies around the UK.

Their videos on social media promoting their actions are filmed in such a way that their faces are never shown on camera.

Flagman UK placed a flag on Mendip Roundabout (Photo: Flagman UK)

Groups responsible for putting up the flags say that they are motivated by pride and patriotism. But others have said it feels provocative at a time when tensions are running high across England over the issue of immigration.

The movements creation is attributed to the group; “Raise the Colours” which has seen a number of people in its leadership arrested and charged for a host of offences including the production of indecent images of children, murder and people smuggling

Posting a video of planting the flag on the roundabout via their social media page, Flagman UK said: “Weston-super-Mare… did you see our little surprise?

Me and Flagger Simon couldn’t resist. It looked like a castle, so we just had to leave an England flag flying proudly.

We’ll be back soon, Weston-super-Mare… and this time we’ve got something special planned for you.”