Video shows Worcester stand-off as residents clash over flags on lampposts
A lone mother confronted two men from a local group mounting Union flags in Worcester, prompting a police response and sparking debate over local symbolism and community spaces.
A confrontation in Worcester on September 17 drew widespread attention after a lone mother blocked two men from mounting Union flags on a lamppost outside her home, a clash that was captured on video and later shared online. The men, affiliated with a group called Worcester Patriots, arrived on Kiln Crescent and began hanging Union Jacks and St George's Crosses from multiple lampposts. The pair reportedly told the woman they did not live on her estate and that they were mounting the flags after a donation to a GoFundMe campaign connected to the group, according to local reporting.
The video shows the woman speaking on the phone with police as she positions herself in front of the lamppost to prevent access. At one point, a man attempting to attach a flag tells her, “I think you're racist.” She replies, “I think you're racist actually.” The exchange escalates as the group persists with the mounting efforts and the woman argues that the activity is racist and refuses to back down. The men acknowledge they do not reside on the estate, while insisting they are carrying out a street display funded by a donation from a resident.
The incident drew a rapid reaction from local officials and residents. The clip notes that the woman was on the phone with police during the confrontation, and the scene concluded when a police officer arrived. As the footage shows, the woman steps briefly away from the lamppost, and one of the men stands a ladder against it; she then pushes the ladder to the ground and repeats the action after the ladder is replaced.
The participants exchanged heated remarks throughout, with the woman insisting the flag mounting be halted and declaring that authorities would be involved. The video includes a comment from the woman that the flag display was racist, followed by a response from the men that they would relocate to another street if the confrontation persisted. It ends with the men telling the officer they would move on, saying, “It’s not worth the aggro.”
Local councilor Alex Mace, who represents the St Stephen ward on Worcester City Council for the Green Party, told Worcester News that the woman was within her rights to object to the flags on her estate. He described the situation as intimidation when the mounted flags were followed by a truck after she expressed her objection, and he urged a move toward unity, suggesting flags could be placed elsewhere if possible. “If it is about love and unity, they can move on and put the flags elsewhere,” he said.
The Worcester Patriots have described themselves as “English/British” activists and have launched a GoFundMe page to fund flag purchases and mounting supplies. The page, which the group says has raised more than £1,500, is dedicated to the costs of flags and cable ties used to attach them. The fundraising effort has drawn scrutiny online, including comments indicating that some flags may have been mounted upside down, though organizers have not publicly confirmed such reports.
Authorities say the incident is being treated as an altercation with an assault allegation, with no injuries reported. West Mercia Police confirmed that officers were called to Kiln Crescent around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17, and that inquiries are ongoing. A police spokesperson noted that the presence of flags on public infrastructure is a matter for the council, not the police, and emphasized that the case centers on the reported altercation rather than criminal activity tied to flag displays.
The incident has sparked broader discussion in Worcester about the display of national and regional symbols in public spaces, the rights of residents to object to such displays on private or communal property, and the role of volunteer groups in mounting flags in local streets. The local Reform council has reportedly instructed that any British or English flags mounted on public infrastructure remain in place only with proper authorization. As investigators continue to review evidence and statements from those involved, residents and officials alike are calling for calm and a measured approach to symbolism and public space in the community.