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Raise the Colours Leader Charged with 14 Criminal Offences After Police Probe
Thames Valley Police said evidence from witness accounts and footage led prosecutors to file charges after reported incidents from Jan. 31 to March 31, 2026.
On Sunday, Thames Valley Police charged Ryan Bridge, 45, founder of the Raise the Colours activist group, with 14 offenses following an investigation into alleged incidents between January 31 and March 31, 2026, in Oxfordshire.
Raise the Colours has spent over a year attaching Union Jack and George's Cross flags to public infrastructure across England. Critics argue the campaign promotes anti-immigrant sentiment, while supporters characterize it as patriotic expression.
Oxfordshire County Council secured a High Court injunction in July prohibiting unauthorized flag attachments. Authorities pursued charges following a "thorough review of evidence, including witness accounts and available footage," police said.
During the Reform annual conference this week, leader Nigel Farage offered support to Bridge. "If we can help you legally, we will," Farage said, paying tribute to the activist's flag-raising efforts.
Bridge is scheduled to appear at Oxfordshire Magistrates' Court on 3 November. Meanwhile, Birmingham City Council is seeking a similar High Court injunction against unauthorized signage, with a hearing on Tuesday.