Bristol City Council is considering banning residents from attaching Union flags and other items to lampposts, citing public safety, unauthorised use of council property and the potential for division. The proposed enforcement could carry an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison, although the council is still reviewing options rather than imposing a confirmed ban.

The council says it has already spent £50,000 removing unauthorised flags and is examining measures used elsewhere. Birmingham and Oxfordshire councils have pursued similar restrictions, with Oxfordshire citing intimidation and safety concerns affecting maintenance workers; the wider dispute follows the Operation Raise the Colours campaign, which led to Union and St George’s flags appearing on public infrastructure across the country.