Birmingham City Council plans to remove British flags and St. George's flags from lampposts "to ensure public safety," the Daily Mail reports.
The council, which is run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent MPs, has initiated legal proceedings to ban these flags.
If the injunction is granted, anyone who places a British flag on roads without permission from Birmingham City Council could face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.
"This is happening against the backdrop of a national debate about whether British flags and St. George's flags should be allowed: some see them as a sign of patriotism, while others consider them a manifestation of nationalism aimed at intimidating ethnic minorities. A campaign called "Raise The Colours" has led to thousands of St George's crosses being placed on lampposts, roundabouts and homes across the UK. It was provoked by local disputes in Birmingham after the soviets removed flags from public lampposts. Birmingham City Council said yesterday that it is seeking an injunction to stop the flags from being flown, after employees who were instructed to remove them faced harassment and intimidation," the publication says.
Birmingham City Council first caused outrage in August last year, ordering the removal of British flags from lampposts.
In connection with this news, social networks emphasize that "flags of other countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Palestine, will be exempt from the ban in Britain's second largest city," and also publish alleged photos of Birmingham councillors.