Flags removed from Kingstanding Circle as rival groups clash online

Rows of Union and St George's flags have been removed from the Kingstanding Circle roundabout, a year after they first went up.

A campaign group called Lower the Flags Brum said on Saturday 10 October that the flags had been cleared from the grassed centre of the roundabout. Only the flags on a single, higher flagpole were left, and drivers could see clearly across the roundabout for the first time in a year.

"The roundabout belongs to every single person"

In a post on social media, the group said the flags had "intimidated and divided the community for far too long".

"That roundabout belongs to every single person in this great city of Birmingham. It's not theirs," it said. "We are Black, we are White, we are Atheists, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindu, Pagan, we are Trans, we are Cis, we are middle, working and under class and above all we love our city!"

The group said it "derived no great pleasure" from the action, adding that "the rise of nationalistic violence needs a grassroots response in the absence of leadership from our elected representatives".

The other side

The flags were put up by Raise the Colours Kingstanding, which has recently renamed itself Kingstanding Patriots and says the display represents community patriotism. The group had taken the flags down temporarily in April before putting replacements in place.

It said: "The patriotic display on Kingstanding circle has been vandalised and everything stolen. The display was highlighting pride and unity for every nation within the United Kingdom and it needs to be replaced." It is crowdfunding to replace the display.

The council's court case

The removal comes as Birmingham City Council pursues a High Court injunction to stop flags being attached to street furniture and highway infrastructure without permission. The council says unauthorised attachments can create safety risks and obstruct visibility for drivers, and its application also refers to alleged intimidation and harassment linked to putting up and removing flags.

The case has been heard twice, on 8 and 30 September, and will return to Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre for a third hearing on Monday 2 November.

A national argument, played out locally

Flags on lampposts, bridges and roundabouts spread across many towns and cities in England from the summer of 2025. Supporters describe them as an expression of national pride; critics say they have been used to mark territory and to intimidate minority communities, particularly where they have appeared alongside protests about immigration.

Kingstanding Circle is one of the best-known roundabouts in the north of the city, and its display had become one of the most visible sites in the local row.

Calls for calm

Police and community leaders have repeatedly urged people on all sides to avoid confrontation. Anyone who sees a crime being committed, or who feels threatened, can report it to the police on 101, or on 999 in an emergency.

The council says displays on public land should only be put up where permission has been given, and has asked residents and community groups to support that approach while the court case continues.