Your say / flags
‘These flags do not represent Bedminster’
The flags in Bedminster ward have dominated my ward work since they first went up on September 9.
Immediately, people associated them with Operation Raise the Colours, a campaign about patriotism led by Tommy Robinson, and they felt very strongly that having a flag on their street did not represent their own views.
Beyond that some people felt that the flags represented racism and even fascism.
My initial reaction was to push for them to be taken down. Some flags were along the airport bus route and on West Street, a high street made up of businesses run by people from many different cultures and ethnicities.
I was proud to see the community react by putting up notices and ‘Loveable Neighbourhood Care bears’ with messages of welcome, sanctuary and inclusion.
Then I started hearing about some of the people behind the flags, people who felt left behind, ignored, who were using the flags as a way of protesting against the government.
I’ve spoken to people myself who don’t see the political system as one they can engage in and think the flags are a good way of showing their frustration.
I know there is a lot of work being done to hear those voices and create spaces to discuss the issues, issues that affect some of the hard-working people in our city who feel trapped by inequality and frustrated about policies on benefits, taxes and immigration.
Some of this has been captured in the community cohesion report we discussed at Public Health and Communities Committee recently.
The flags spread from Bedminster to Ashton Vale to Bedminster Down to Hartcliffe and there are currently flags across five wards in south Bristol.
One of my residents drives past 44 flags on her way to work. Some flag poles now have multiple flags on them.
If you live or work or go to school south of the river, they are impossible to ignore.
Bristol24/7 recently reported that flags on lampposts are set to disappear as public pressure for their removal is growing – photo: Alex Seabrook
Flags mean different things for different people and context really matters.
For some, the St George’s cross represents the best of England, for others it has connotations of the National Front.
I myself for a long time only saw the Union Jack as a symbol of unity and peace until I learnt it was used by Britain during the empire and has implications of colonialism and repression.
Whatever we think, we do use flags to celebrate and mark special events like the Rugby World Cup or the Jubilee.
These flags are not doing that, and by staying up so long, they take away the impact they could have.
Along with the flags going up, we have seen a rise in racist and Islamophobic incidents, not just in the form of protests, but also in our streets and our schools.
This is incredibly concerning.
Bristol is a City of Sanctuary and everyone should feel welcome and safe.
I was at one of the protests outside the hotel full of families and know how scared those people, including young children, felt.
Ellie Freeman says that “flags do not represent Bedminster” – photo: Green Party
Most of south Bristol voted for Green or Labour councillors to represent them.
We know we don’t represent everyone and we know there is a range of views among our residents.
However, it is emerging that behind the flag operation is a small group of people who are determined to impose their views on their neighbours, and beyond.
Some have been aggressive towards people who have asked for flags not to be put up, some have followed
people home, put up threatening stickers and intimidated residents in Bedminster.
One resident no longer walks to the local park because she does not feel safe.
Residents may complain about council consultations but at least the council asks before they put in a tree, or a crossing or make other changes in a street.
These people have not consulted their neighbours or asked the council. They have imposed these flags outside
homes, schools and businesses. These people do not represent Bedminster.
Bristol is a city made of many neighbourhoods, many communities who need to be heard and helped.
Local organisations, community volunteer groups and indeed the council’s own community development officers understand that all too well, and I will continue to work with them.
I love living in Bristol, with its fascinating and complex history, its huge variety of place and people, and I am proud to represent Bedminster.
During the last few months, I have heard from working-class men, from European and Irish immigrants, from mixed race families and from the children of immigrants.
They have begged this council to do something, to make their neighbourhood feel like the one we love again.
The petition and statements presented to the council recently shows they are not alone.
These flags are not solving poverty, they are not creating jobs, they’re not providing education, they are creating division, anxiety and even fear.
That is not an environment where people can hear each other’s voices, it’s not a community that includes everyone, and it’s not the Bristol I know and love.
I am glad to hear the council has listened and will be taking action to remove flags, and will continue to speak to my residents to make sure their voices are heard.
This is an opinion piece by Ellie Freeman, Green councillor for Bedminster
Main photo: Rosie Burgess
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