Police probe after St George's Cross painted on Goose mascot at Nottingham Goose Fair
Investigation follows vandalism of Goosey the Goose as part of wider national flag display campaign known as Operation Raise the Colours
Nottinghamshire Police said they are investigating after a St George's Cross was spray-painted on Goosey, a two-metre-tall fibreglass-and-timber goose that is the centerpiece of the city's Goose Fair, around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 3. The statue weighs about a quarter of a tonne and sits on the Mansfield Road roundabout, a well-known landmark of the annual event.
Officers have trawled CCTV footage and are canvassing for information. They have urged anyone who was in the area at the time or who has dashcam footage to review their records, noting that a number of vehicles and bus routes pass the roundabout in the evening hours.
A Nottingham City Council spokesperson said Goosey has long been an iconic figure in the city and condemned the vandalism. The council noted that Nottingham flies the largest St George's flag in the country on occasions of national celebration, but stressed that the flag’s misuse would not be condoned and that flags may be removed if they cause an obstruction, create a safety issue, or if offensive language is used.
The incident occurs amid a broader nationwide pattern associated with Operation Raise the Colours, a campaign that has seen St George's Crosses and Union Flags displayed in towns and cities across England. The movement has drawn both support from those who view flag displays as a sign of national pride and concern from critics who say the displays can be co-opted by far-right groups. In Wiltshire, for example, the Westbury White Horse was altered with red fabric in a related act; English Heritage said it would remove the material, and Wiltshire Police said they were not investigating that occurrence.
The campaign has also prompted political and public debate. Some Conservative lawmakers have defended flag displays as symbols of unity and patriotism, while opponents warn that the displays risk normalizing confrontational or divisive messaging. The movement has drawn support from and been associated with figures who have ties to nationalist or far-right circles, though organizers have sought to present it as a broader, non-partisan celebration of national identity.
Authorities say the Goose vandalism investigation remains active and investigators will pursue all available leads. Goose Fair organizers emphasize the event’s cultural significance to Nottingham, and police say they will pursue those responsible to the fullest extent of the law.