A coalition of community groups called on council leaders to tackle the “unauthorised flag displays” linked to “Operation Raise the Colours” and associated harassment in Brighton and Hove.
The groups, known collectively as Our Brighton, sent an email to the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Bella Sankey, and the chief executive, Jess Gibbons, this morning (Monday 29 September).
A copy of the email went to Anita Grant, the assistant chief officer for trust and legitimacy at Sussex Police.
More than 80 community groups, businesses and other organisations signed the letter, including arts, sports and religious groups, educational, anti-racism and migrant support groups and trade unions.
It said: “We write as a coalition of local anti‑racist, community groups and migrant solidarity organisations concerned about recent developments in our city that threaten the inclusive values we all cherish.
“In recent weeks, unauthorised St George’s Cross and Union Flag displays have been attached to lampposts across Brighton and Hove.
“A group calling itself the Sussex Patriots has been seen and filmed scaling ladders to attach these flags on West Street, North Street, along the seafront and on the A259 between Brighton Marina and Ovingdean.
“Police have attended several of these scenes. When council contractors attempted removals in Saltdean and along the A259, they reported abuse and have indicated they require police protection to carry out their work safely.
“Residents who have questioned or removed the unauthorised displays have faced threats and harassment, including online doxxing (posting identifying photos and personal details), threats of physical violence, being followed and property being vandalised. We hold evidence of these incidents.
“These activities are part of Operation Raise the Colours (ORTC), a co-ordinated national campaign by far‑right activists.
“Research group Hope Not Hate identifies ORTC as co‑founded by Andrew Currien (aka Andy Saxon), an activist with documented links to far‑right networks.
“According to Hope Not Hate, Britain First claimed to have donated 75 per cent of its flag stock for ORTC. We are also aware of donations and amplification from figures aligned with Tommy Robinson.
“We hold evidence that members of the Sussex Patriots were among attendees at Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest in London on Saturday 13 September – widely reported as the largest far‑right rally in the UK in decades and described by Hope Not Hate as ‘Britain’s biggest far‑right protest’.
“While plainly many people attended this event looking for a genuine experience of national unity, it was in fact characterised by a shocking level of violence – both real and rhetorical.
“The event saw mobs having to be held back by police from attacking counter-protestors, 26 police officers injured and multiple arrests.
“The local activity of the Sussex Patriots is not benign patriotism. It is an orchestrated effort to appropriate national symbols, mark territory and intimidate minorities and those who oppose them.
“In Brighton and Hove, it is already generating fear and distress. It also manipulates well‑meaning residents who may share patriotic sentiment but are unaware they are aligning with a co-ordinated far‑right campaign.
“The symbolic importance of Brighton to this campaign was demonstrated when images of flags along Brighton seafront were posted on X and subsequently reposted by Elon Musk to his 200 million-plus followers.
“This amplification by one of the world’s most influential social media figures – the same person who told the far-right rally ‘violence is coming to you … fight back or you die’ – shows that Brighton is not a random target but holds particular significance for both the national and the international far-right.
“Our city is being used as a propaganda victory in their broader campaign, with each unchallenged flag serving as a symbol that even Britain’s most diverse and inclusive cities can be ‘conquered’.
“Where residents reasonably perceive these co-ordinated activities to be motivated by racial or religious hostility, they meet the national police / CPS threshold for identifying hate incidents.”
The coalition of community groups that sent the letter said that the context included the extremist links of those organising the flag campaign and the way that they had later tried to intimidate contractors and residents.
The letter writers also highlighted the rhetoric at the rally just over two weeks ago and said all these elements made the hostile motivation clear.
The council was asked to take immediate enforcement action to remove unauthorised flags from on lampposts and along roads as soon as they appear, ensuring security for workers where required.
They also called on the council to “publish clear, accessible guidance explaining how residents can report unauthorised flags for removal”.
They said: “Issue a strong public statement condemning intimidation and harassment, affirming that all residents have the right to feel safe and respected in public spaces regardless of background and reconfirming the city’s ‘anti‑racism strategy’ commitments.
“Develop an urgent, participatory, anti‑racist inclusion plan that addresses the current context and is co‑designed with affected communities.
“Provide regular updates on the number and location of unauthorised displays removed (and) related harassment / hate incidents
“Brighton and Hove is rightly proud of its status as a City of Sanctuary and as an Anti-Racist City. These are not titles but commitments.
“We ask the council to act decisively to ensure our streets cannot be used for intimidatory displays masquerading as benign patriotism.
“By taking clear action, you will send a vital message: that while we welcome genuine and inclusive expressions of national pride, we will not allow extremist groups to hijack these symbols or intimidate our residents.
“We stand ready to support the council in upholding our city’s values and ensuring all residents feel safe and welcome.”
The writers of this letter don’t get it. They claim that right-wing groups have hijacked the national flag. Have they noticed how many others, rugby, football supporters and political parties, including Labour have used it too?! We should not have intimidation, but much of this is in the eyes of those seeing the flags as racist or extreme right wing. Some may have been put up by them, many others not, but that doesn’t make the flag stand for right wing or not. It stands as our national flag.
The solution isn’t to tear down the flags, but for all groups to put it up. That takes away any messaging that some may read into this. Why not embrace the national flag, as most countries do, and fly it more rather than less. Have all political parties and religions/none fly it? It is our flag. The letter says these symbols are being “hijacked” and then proposes agreeing with this by removing them. Why not embrace the national flag instead – make it what it is – a flag for the nation. Fly it!
So the flags were put up by Patriots that love England and the UK as a whole and they are known as Patriotic activists but it’s the Non Patriotic FAR, FAR , LEFT Liebour Loonies, that are having the flags removed. I have only ONE question, WHY??
Ken That’s not how you spell ‘pathetic’
Plenty of places fly flags, but when you see a flag flying from scaffolding then you know there is a problem. (Holland Road, Hove right next to a place of worship! Just saying!)
It was organised by the far right movement to intimidate. What isn’t there to understand on that.
Yes, some flags are. But the question is what do you do about it. Do you remove all the flags and agree with the view that the national flag is now just a symbol of the far right? Or do you embrace the national flag and fly it yourself?
My view, if I ran the council, I would fly the national flag on all council buildings. This is standard in many countries around the world. I would state that any flags of any type (eg. national, pride, Palestine, Ukraine etc) will not be tolerated on public structures (lamposts etc) and will be removed.
The question is, will Bella Sankey be brave enough to distance herself from her party leader Keir Starmer?
Starmer seems desperate to align the Labour party with Reform and other far-right groups.
Why not fly the Sussex flag or indeed the Borough flag? They are as relevant as the cross of St George, displaying civic pride without the connotations aligning it to racism or imperialism. Just make sure that all proper permissions are obtained.
But the people who are putting up the flags don’t get permission.
And that’s the issue. They often don’t put them up high enough or tie them properly and even hang them the wrong way around.
NONE of the people that are putting up the flags are getting permission, especially the clowns putting up the Palestinian flags. Whether they are too high, too low, upside down etc. doesn’t alter anything as the Palestinian flags are allowed to stay up, and have been for months, but they don’t interfere with our daily life, but the St. George and Union flags do? Give us a break!!
Where are there Palestine flags put up for months without permission?
I was going to say-what’s the problem, it’s only flags, but i do get it if they are too Low etc
England flags are racist
Replace them with Palestine and Ukraine flags
Labour welcome immigrants!
FAR, FAR LEFT, a non patriot of the country that you live in, but you still won’t have any illegal immigrants living in your house!
Very silly twaddy twad.
Labour support migrants.
Let’s welcome them. They deserve a good safe home. Scaring them with terrifying England flags is appalling
England flags are not good. They represent hatred and racism and fear
Imagine if you moved to another country and they put flags from their country up. How would you feel? Labour need to stick to their support for migrants and get these down and other countries flags up! We should parade the streets with other flags and show the Brighton welcome migrants to live here
Seriously? Have you never been to Greece, Spain, Italy and many other countries where their national flags are proudly on display above public buildings, restaurants, holiday resorts, etc? Get a grip!
Not sure why Our Brighton can’t just enjoy the irony of ORTC erecting a flag that commemorates England’s patron saint, a Turk born to a Palestinian mother and Syrian father.
Why do you think that’s ironic? Most people know St George wasn’t English, that’s not the point! However that is an argument for pointing out our nation’s flag is not inherently racist – in fact quite the opposite. Most people wishing to fly/flying it are NOT “far right” nor intending to be racist.
How can a flag be racist? It’s just a piece of cloth! This is getting more clown world by the day.
If anyone has a problem with the England or Union Jack flags, they are living in the wrong country
and should remove themselves to a country where their love and allegiance lies, because
they are no use to this one. I wouldn’t go and live in France if I didn’t love France and wasn’t happy to embrace French culture, language, rules and laws. What is wrong with people that they insist on living in a country they can’t stand and can’t even bear to see its flag flying? This is common sense and nothing to do with isms or where people were born. Why would anyone waste their life living somewhere they can’t stand? And what good are they to that country by remaining there with their festering resentment?
How can a flag be racist? The swastika.
Like your pro immigration stance.
The flags have been put up to intimidate. Plenty of flaggers have states they’re putting up flags to send a message to migrants. It was grim cycling through the flags on Warren Road, passing a sponsored walk of Gurkhas for Gurkha welfare the other Sunday.
Britons are not so insecure that we need to put flags everywhere. We’re not like the French.
Flying them on sporting or royal occasions is a different matter entirely from using them for intimidation.
My local town, Seaford, is fast resembling a Nuremburg rally and giving the impression of an ugly, angry and under-educated little place. I almost feel sorry for the estate agents!
No restraint. No dignity. Not at all British.