British bulldog flag hung on Shrewsbury's historic Lord Hill column - despite it being fenced off and covered in scaffolding
A British bulldog flag has been hung up on the Lord Hill column in Shrewsbury - despite it being covered in scaffolding and fenced off.
The design, which features a Union flag background, has been hung near the stone lions at the bottom of the column, but still high enough for motorists and passersby to get a good view.
A spokesman for Jarvis Scaffolding Ltd, which put the scaffolding up around the statue, has said the flag is “nothing to do with us as far as we’re aware”.
Shropshire Council has been approached for comment.
The scaffolding went up as part of £150,000 renovation work to repair the crumbling, 200-year-old, Doric, 133ft tall column, including removing the left arm and replacing it with a fresh cast.
Later on, the statue's left arm will be removed and a cast replacement made, Shropshire Council said, with the remainder of the statue set to be painted and given a steam clean.
Lots of flags have been put up in the county town since Operation Raise The Colours first gained serious traction nationally in August last year.
It started with people hanging United Kingdom and England flags on lamp posts and painting St George’s crosses on mini-roundabouts.
Those supporting the movement say it is to promote patriotism, with some members of Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK backing it, but it has also garnered support from those associated with far right politics, including Britain First and activist Tommy Robinson.
Some of the first flags in Shrewsbury went up in Mount Pleasant Road, Harlescott, back in August. One resident told the Shropshire Star people were “fed up” due to the cost of living crisis and crime, adding "some people think immigration is a big part of that”.
Since then, more flags have gone up around the town including on Oteley Road near Shrewsbury Town’s football stadium, Frankwell and Telford Way.
Shrewsbury Greens leader Julian Dean hit out at the campaign, calling it “intimidatory”.
He said: “It imposes a particular version of supposed patriotism on everyone else – a version more often seen in Northern Ireland where it undoubtedly symbolises dangerously divided communities.
A fundraiser was launched towards the end of last year for more flags in Shrewsbury, with the organiser saying it was “nothing to do with race or religion”, and everything to do with “the sham of a Prime Minister” and the “lying Government”.
So far more than £2,500 has been raised for the campaign, called Raise The Flags Shrewsbury Plus.
The organiser has said that 80 flags were pulled down recently and in total £1,600's worth has been taken away.
He also shared a photograph of a St George's flag which had the word “racist” daubed onto it.
The organiser did not claim to have put up the bulldog flag on the column, saying: “Nice to see one up by the Lord Hill. Not us, but nice to see.”
