Unauthorised flag attachments injunction against persons unknown

Birmingham City Council has applied to the High Court for an injunction, including an interim injunction and a power of arrest, relating to the unauthorised attachment of flags to street furniture and highway infrastructure across Birmingham.

About the application

The council's application seeks to prevent people from:

• attaching flags to street furniture and highway infrastructure without permission
• obstructing the highway in connection with such activity
• interfering with council officers or contractors carrying out removal work
• engaging in behaviour alleged to amount to harassment, alarm or distress towards council staff, contractors, elected members and members of the public

Unauthorised attachments to street furniture can create highway safety risks, obstruct visibility and interfere with highway assets. They can also contribute to tensions and disorder.

The application also refers to reported incidents involving alleged intimidation, harassment and obstruction connected to the erection and removal of flags.

Interim injunction hearing

The court considered the interim injunction application at a hearing on Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 10:30am. The hearing was adjourned by HHJ Kelly, and further directions were given to allow:

• the defendants to have the opportunity to consider the evidence
• those defendants who wished to attend but could not attend on the 8 September to attend at the adjourned hearing

The hearing will take place on 30 September 2026 at 10:30am at:

High Court
Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre
33 Bull Street
Birmingham
B4 6DS

The hearing is estimated to take 1 day.

Access to case documents

Information relating to the claim, including claim documents and the hearing bundle, is available on the Unauthorised attachments injunction application 2026 download page.

Hard copies of the claim documents are available from:

Main reception
Birmingham City Council
Council House
Victoria Square
Birmingham
B1 1BB

Legal representative details

Mr Anthony Cox (City Solicitor)

Legal and Governance Department
Birmingham City Council
Council House
Victoria Square
Birmingham
B1 1BB

Email: HousingandCommunitySafetyLegal@birmingham.gov.uk
Phone: 0121 303 9385

Page last updated: 9 September 2026