A Labour councillor in Derby has received threats of rape and violence following the city council’s announcement that Union Jack and St George’s flags would be removed from public spaces, police have confirmed. The decision to clear unauthorised flags from lampposts and bridges ahead of Remembrance commemorations has ignited fierce controversy in the East Midlands city.
Councillor Sarah Chambers, Derby City Council’s cabinet member for public safety, revealed she had been warned to avoid football matches and pubs for her own safety after announcing the removal policy on Monday. The threats culminated in a man shouting from a car that she would be “raped for raping them of their flag”, an incident now under police investigation.
Derbyshire Police confirmed they received reports of a public order incident on Monday, 22 September, when threats were shouted at a woman by a man in a car between 5pm and 5.30pm in Elton Road, Derby. A police spokesman said investigations are ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting reference 25*561154.
The controversy stems from the council’s decision to begin removing flags from Monday, 29 September, citing the need to prepare lampposts for traditional Remembrance poppies in November and Christmas decorations. The flags had been erected across Derby as part of “Operation Raise the Colours”, a nationwide movement that has seen thousands of Union Jacks and St George’s crosses appear on public infrastructure since August.
“I’ve been threatened for doing my job. I’ve been subjected to personal insults about my appearance and size for doing my job,” Councillor Chambers told the BBC. She added that the threats had gone “way too far” and that her family had requested she step back from her councillor duties over safety concerns.
In a Facebook post yesterday, the councillor wrote that she needed to “put myself and my family before my role”. She addressed those responsible for the abuse, saying: “To the people who have subjected me to some abhorrent names, threats and lies, I hope your family members are never subjected to anything like that at all.”
The flag removal decision has exposed deep divisions within Derby and across the wider region. Reform UK’s Alan Graves, who leads Derbyshire County Council, accused Councillor Chambers of “pandering to a far-left-wing agenda and against the average resident of Derby”. The county council has confirmed it will not follow Derby City’s lead in removing flags.
Conservative politicians have also criticised the move. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who was photographed raising a Union Jack in his Newark constituency, condemned what he called “Britain-hating councils” and declared: “We must be one country, under the Union Flag.
Councillor Chambers defended the decision as necessary for public safety and legal compliance. “What I’m pandering to is public safety, public liability insurance and being responsible in my role,” she responded to critics. She explained that the council’s insurance “could be made void” if unauthorised attachments to street furniture were not removed.
The council had initially taken a tolerant approach to the flag displays. In an opinion column last month, Councillor Chambers explained she had decided not to instruct immediate removal “because doing so would play into the hands of those who want a reaction, those who want to claim their freedom is under threat and use that narrative to inflame division.”
However, the situation has evolved amid concerns about the movement’s origins and intentions. Anti-racism group Hope Not Hate revealed that Operation Raise the Colours was co-founded by Andrew Currien, who has alleged links to the English Defence League and now provides security for far-right party Britain First. The organisation donated between 200 and 250 flags to the movement.
The campaign began in Birmingham with a group calling themselves the “Weoley Warriors”, describing themselves as “proud English men” who raised over £21,000 (approximately $27,000) through crowdfunding for flags, poles and cable ties. The movement quickly spread across England, with groups like Flag Force UK in Yorkshire creating live maps of flag locations.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has attempted to strike a balanced position on the controversy. A Downing Street spokesperson said the Prime Minister views patriotism as “absolutely” important and supports people putting up English flags, particularly during football tournaments. However, Starmer also warned against flags being used “purely for divisive purposes”, saying this “devalues the flag”.
The timing of the flag displays has added to tensions, coming shortly after summer riots linked to immigration concerns and during heightened debate about national identity. At a council meeting on 17 September, a resident claimed to have identified streets “where flags erected appear intended to intimidate”, prompting the council to monitor incidents where flags may constitute harassment or hate crimes.
Councillor Chambers had previously warned: “We cannot let our flags, symbols of unity and remembrance, become banners for hate or exclusion. National pride should not come at the cost of community cohesion.”
The practical considerations for removal are significant. Under the Highways Act 1980, Section 132, attaching items to street furniture without permission is prohibited. The council has offered flag-raisers a week to safely retrieve their flags before council workers begin removal and storage operations.
Other councils across Britain have taken varied approaches. Birmingham City Council, City of York Council and Tower Hamlets have removed flags citing safety concerns, whilst Liberal Democrat-run Shropshire Council announced flags would remain except for safety or maintenance reasons.
The controversy reflects broader debates about patriotism, immigration and national identity in contemporary Britain. The St George’s Cross has a complex history, having been associated with football hooliganism in the 1970s and 1980s and various far-right movements, though efforts have been made to reclaim it as an inclusive national symbol.
Derby City Council has emphasised it “proudly” flies the Union Flag outside the Council House daily and recognises both flags as “important symbols of our national identity”. The authority encouraged residents interested in official flagpoles to approach ward councillors about proper procedures.
A Derby City Council spokeswoman stated: “We will not tolerate abuse of any kind directed towards our councillors. Everyone has the right to represent their communities and undertake their elected roles without fear or intimidation.”
As the 29 September deadline approaches, tensions remain high in Derby. Councillor Chambers said she had received hundreds of supportive messages from across the city and country, but the violent threats have cast a shadow over what began as a debate about flag displays and council policy.
The incident raises serious questions about political discourse and the safety of elected officials in an increasingly polarised environment. With police investigations ongoing and the flag removal date imminent, Derby finds itself at the centre of a national debate about identity, authority and the limits of patriotic expression.
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