“Police told let Palestine flags fly – but take down British ones”
Police in Birmingham have been instructed to let unofficially erected Palestinian flags fly but stop British and English ones going up, a serving officer claims.
The West Midlands Police officer, who has served with the force for more than 20 years, told West Midlands News: “We’ve been told if we see Palestinian flags being put up while we’re out on patrol, we should not intervene.
“But if we see Union Jacks or St George’s cross flags being put up, we should step in.
“It’s a double standard if ever I saw one.”
This is the latest in the ongoing flag drama, which gained national attention last month as Birmingham and Tower Hamlets councils took action to take down British and English colours flown from lampposts in east London and Birmingham.
Union and St George’s flags were put up by unofficial flag-flyers in an operation dubbed “Raise the Colours.”
Those involved, including a Birmingham-based group called the Weoley Warriors, said they had received thousands of pounds in donations to fund more flags in reaction to the perceived unfairness of councils taking down British and English colours while leaving Palestinian flags flying.
The trend has now spread nationwide, with the number national and union flags now flying off motorway overbridges and lampposts now estimated to have exceeded one million.
Solihull Councillor Prish Sharma, after a walk through his town centre, posted on Facebook: “What a wonderful sight walking through Solihull today – Union Jacks proudly displayed along our streets! There’s something deeply moving about seeing our national flag flying high in our community.
”As a proud Brit, it fills me with gratitude for the values that define us: our commitment to democracy, fair play, tolerance, and that uniquely British spirit of resilience and community.
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“From our rich history of standing up for what’s right to our tradition of welcoming diversity while maintaining our shared identity, these flags represent so much more than fabric in the wind.”
Prish told WM News: “Being proud of your country, and flying its flag, is what every single one of us should do, but the twisted minds of the hard left have somehow contrived that patriotism is racism.
“As for me and mine, we’re proud to be British and we’re ignoring those grifters – no ifs, no buts, no apology. British and proud.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Flag-flying is a matter for the local authority and is not a policing matter.”
