St George’s flags flying from lamp posts and buildings across Folkestone will not be taken down unless they endanger road users, Kent County Council has confirmed.
Highways crews will only remove flags that block CCTV cameras, obscure road signs, or otherwise interfere with the safe operation of the network. The council urged residents to put safety first and avoid climbing tall structures to hang flags, warning this puts them at risk of serious injury. Peter Osborne, the cabinet member for highways and transport, added: ‘We understand that people wish to express their support for their country, but we must use common sense. Flags will be removed if they are in any way putting people at risk.’
The flags are part of Operation Raise the Colours, an online movement that began in August 2025 and encourages the display of Union Flags and St George’s Crosses on public structures. Kent Police has stated that flying a national flag is lawful and will not be treated as a hostile act or a political statement. In November 2025 the council applied its safety policy when it told Harrietsham Parish Council to remove St George’s flags from lamp posts along the A20 Ashford Road before Christmas lights could be installed.
Anyone wanting to display a flag must first get permission from the site owner, and from the Highway Authority if the flag goes on highway land. Council leader Cllr Linden Kemkaran, whose Reform UK group won control in the 2025 local elections, said it is ‘wonderful’ if people choose to fly their national flag at their own property.
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