Renfrewshire Council writes to Paisley residents urging them to remove flags from lampposts

A council has urged residents in Paisley to remove flags that are being flown from lampposts throughout the town.

Renfrewshire Council sent a letter to locals asking them to remove any Saltires or Union Jacks flown from street lights if they wish to keep them, otherwise they will be removed by workers.

The local authority said it made the decision “for reasons of road and public safety,” but that people were free to fly flags from private property.

It comes after Aberdeenshire and Falkirk councils said workers faced abuse while attempting to remove Saltires which had been attached to street lights.

Police Scotland said any decision to remove flags was a “matter for the local authority”.

Scotland

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Anti-immigration groups say they are ‘disgusted’ by the removals of the Saltires.

The recent spread of saltire flags in Scotland follows similar scenes in England, where anti-immigration campaign groups have raised flags as part of a UK-wide protest called ‘Raise the Colours’, coinciding with demonstrations against housing asylum seekers in hotels.

A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “We are aware of flags being attached to our lamp-posts and other street furniture.

“Our usual policy is not to allow any material to be attached to road infrastructure or other council property without permission. This is for reasons of road and public safety.

“We have written to residents in some areas, asking they remove any items belonging to themselves. If not, we reserve the right to remove them ourselves. Anyone who wishes to fly a national flag from their own private property is of course free to do so.”