Birmingham roundabouts vandalised to look like St George’s flags

At least six mini-roundabouts in Birmingham have been graffitied to look like St George’s flags.

The damaged roundabouts in the Kings Heath and Yardley Wood areas include one at the junction of Brandwood Road and Woodthorpe Road; one at Yardley Wood Road and also at Haunch Lane.

West Midlands Police said it had not received any reports about them, but a complaint of criminal damage made by the local authority or a member of the public would be investigated.

The BBC has contacted Birmingham City Council for comment.

Some residents living nearby have told the BBC they were deeply unhappy, but others said they were enjoying seeing the flags appearing.

Speaking about the roundabouts, a woman who lives near Woodthorpe Road in Kings Heath said: “This is sheer, wanton vandalism.

“The council doesn’t have the money to fix the potholes, let alone repaint mini islands.”

A man also living close to Woodthorpe Road said it was “not patriotic, it just feels like an excuse for xenophobia.

“There are better ways to show pride – ways that are inclusive and respectful, not resorting to vandalism.”

Another woman living in Kings Heath said: “They make me feel very uncomfortable and do not represent me.

“I’ve been considering painting over the one I go past every day.”

St George’s and union flags being flown across parts of Birmingham were being taken down, which the authority said last week was to allow for maintenance works.

In recent weeks, the Union Jack and St George’s Cross have been hung in the Weoley Castle and Northfield areas of the city, which local residents said they were doing in an act of patriotism.

But the city council issued a safety plea to residents thinking of attaching the flags to lampposts and other street furniture.

It said it was upgrading streetlights to energy-efficient LED lighting and had so far removed about 200 banners and flags.

Some people in the Weoley Castle and Northfield areas of Birmingham told BBC Radio WM they supported the flags being flown.

One woman said: “It’s patriotic, so I think it’s lovely. It represents us doesn’t it, Great Britain?”

Another woman said: “I think they’re great, [they] put a smile on people’s faces.

“They’re not doing any harm just flying in the wind, representing England, which is where we are, obviously.”

Another woman said it would “nice to see all different flags up” to show how multicultural the city was.

While a man told the BBC if the sentiment behind it was “anti-immigration”, he was “totally against” the flags being put up.

“That’s not a very nice thing to do,” he said.