The activist is due before magistrates in November, while separate court proceedings over flag installations in Oxfordshire, Birmingham and East Sussex continue
The founder of a flag campaign praised by Nigel Farage has been charged with 14 offences, including racially aggravated harassment, threatening behaviour and assault.
Ryan Bridge, 45, is the founder of Raise the Colours; a movement to put up Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags on lampposts across parts of the Midlands and south of England. Police have now charged him with 14 offences relating to alleged incidents over a two-month period in Oxfordshire.
He is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on November 3.
The charges included:
- Seven counts of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress
- Three counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of, or provoke, unlawful violence
- Two counts of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress
- One count of racially aggravated fear of violence
- One count of common assault
The charges come days after Bridge attended Reform UK’s annual conference, where Nigel Farage praised the Raise the Colours campaign and offered legal support.
Bridge was one of three people selected to put questions to the Reform UK leader during a discussion hosted by Jeremy Kyle on Saturday. Farage told Bridge: “What your campaign has done is wake up vast parts of this country.”
After Bridge told him he was subject to an injunction preventing him from putting up flags in Oxfordshire and faced similar action in Birmingham, Farage added: “If we can help you legally, we will.”
The legal rows over the flag campaign have grown in recent months. In July, Oxfordshire County Council secured a High Court injunction aimed at stopping people placing flags near highways amid concerns over safety, trespass and obstruction.
Birmingham City Council has also applied for an injunction against activists linked to Raise the Colours, with the first High Court hearing due to take place on Tuesday 8, Bridge is named alongside six other people in that action.
Oxfordshire County Council previously issued a formal legal notice to Raise the Colours over what it described as “their continued placing of flags across Oxfordshire”. The notice required an individual or organisation to stop a specified activity.
Councillor Liz Leffman said: “The scale and persistence of this activity is affecting communities across Oxfordshire. We’re proud of our diverse communities in Oxfordshire and of being the first county council to be awarded Local Authority of Sanctuary status.
“We proudly fly the Union and St George’s flags, which are visible symbols of democracy and unity. However, the widespread installation of flags by Raise the Colours is not a sign of patriotism. It is an act of intimidation and division that is having a real and damaging impact on our communities.
“Our residents report feeling distressed, unwelcome and unsafe in their own neighbourhoods. Our teams removing the flags, together with residents who have challenged the individuals installing them, have been subject to abuse and threatening behaviour. This is totally unacceptable.
“The council has a responsibility to act where behaviour undermines community cohesion and the safe and inclusive use of public spaces. That is why we are taking firm action. We won’t hesitate to take further legal steps where necessary to protect residents and support the cohesion of our communities.”