Advice against displaying the national banner has been issued ahead of the championship

Some councils in England have advised residents not to attach the national flag, St. George's Cross, to public property, citing safety rules, community-cohesion concerns, and the need to maintain a welcoming environment, local media have reported.

The warning comes ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday. England is set to play its first match, against Croatia, on June 17.

The debate widened on Wednesday when the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB), which oversees prisons and immigration detention facilities, published a report warning that England flag badges worn by staff at detention centers could be perceived by detainees as a sign of "bias or even intimidation," particularly in the light of recent anti-immigration protests in which flag displays were prominent.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage seized on the debate, writing on Facebook: "Do you wear an England badge? Do you fly an England flag outside your home? According to our political class, you are now intimidating migrants!"

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp also criticized the councils' approach, telling the Daily Mail: "Woke councils should stop being ashamed of our national identity and culture, and start celebrating it instead."

The controversy has its roots in the 'Operation Raise the Colours' campaign, which is believed to have emerged in Birmingham in August 2025 before spreading across England. Supporters said the initiative was intended to promote patriotism and national pride by attaching St. George's Cross and Union flags to lampposts, bridges, and other public spaces, while critics argued it was linked to anti-immigration sentiment and attempts to mark territory in communities with large migrant populations.

The UK has seen major anti-immigration protests and riots in recent years, with right-wing politicians and activists accusing authorities of failing to control illegal migration and adequately address crimes committed by migrants and other ethnic minorities.

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Anti-migrant protests and riots erupted in Belfast this week after a Sudanese asylum seeker was charged with the stabbing death of a local, while demonstrations have also been held outside hotels housing asylum seekers in Scotland and England.