The member of Zack Polanski’s party claimed they are hanging by a thread and must be removed on safety grounds.
Howard Beaumont set up the petition (Image: Harlow Council)
A Green Party activist is petitioning to get flags removed from Essex lampposts and prosecute the people who hoisted them. The online petition by Howard Beaumont was initially launched on March 9. It is suggested that the flags should be removed on safety grounds.
The petition read: “Instruct Essex Highways to immediately remove all flags from lampposts and street furniture near to public roads on safety grounds. We would also like Essex County Council to prosecute any known individuals who placed these flags, or attempt to do so in the future, in an attempt to recover Essex County Council’s cost of removal.
“Placement of flags without consent is in breach of section 132 of the Highways Act 1980.” The justification is that they were hung “using nylon ties that degrade in sunlight“, and are now “hanging on by a thread”.
Mr Beaumont claimed that, in some cases, the flags have “fallen off near carriageways or fallen down the lampposts, obscuring road safety signs”.
England and Union Flags have been hoisted across the country (Image: Getty)
EssexLive reports that the petition added: “In addition to this, residents have been putting themselves and others in danger by removing flags themselves.
“Photographic evidence of this has been supplied to Councillor Mark Platt.”
The document has, as of today, more than 1,400 signatures.
Shortly before his election as the leader of the Greens, Zack Polanski, told the BBC that he would not personally display a St. George’s flag outside of a football tournament.
He said: “It’s not something that resonates with my expression of identity. I think for many people, the flag has been co-opted by groups that don’t represent the Britain I know – a Britain that is thoughtful, considerate, and kind.
“My focus is on the people in the house, not what’s hanging off the front of it.”
In September, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said: “There is a struggle in this country between patriots who care about our country, and populists who only care about themselves.
“When populist politicians and convicted criminals take to the stage to exploit our flag and whip up hatred, it casts a dark shadow. Their vile lies are not good for the country.”