https://hopenothate.org.uk/2025/08/22/operation-raise-the-colours-organised-by-well-known-far-right-extremists/
Union Jacks and the crosses of St George have begun to appear on lampposts up and down the UK in recent days. Much of the right-wing media has celebrated, with the Daily Mail dubbing those behind it an “army of patriots.”
While there is nothing wrong with flying the nation’s flags, HOPE not hate can reveal that the key organisers behind much of this activism are hardened and extreme far-right activists.
While many instances of flags being raised, or crosses being painted on roundabouts or walls, are being carried out by ordinary people inspired by posts on social media, the main organising force behind the campaign is “Operation Raise the Colours”.
HOPE not hate can reveal that the co-founder and organiser of the group is longtime Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) ally Andrew Currien (AKA Andy Saxon). Formerly a key member of the English Defence League’s leadership bodyguard team, and now running security for the far-right party Britain First, Currien has previously been jailed for his part in a racist death. He was one of six men convicted in 2009 after a 59-year-old man was crushed to death by a car following a violent brawl.
Currien’s X account links to a fundraising page where he is collecting money to “help us purchase new flags so we can continue putting them up”. He has also posted: “In the last 24hrs, we have supplied 6 districts with a thousand flags. These districts include Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Worcester, Dudley, Stourbridge and Staffordshire.”
Across the country, many of the small groups that have come together to raise the flags are being organised by well-known far-right extremists. The group in Nottingham, for example, is headed by another of Lennon’s associates, Guramit Singh. Having been a key member of EDL from the early days, Singh now runs the Predator Hunter series for Lennon’s media outlet Urban Scoop media. The only break in his longrunning activism came due to a spell in prison after Singh and two accomplices tied up a shop assistant and threatened to slash his throat in an attempted robbery at a hydroponic shop in Hucknall, Notts.
Similarly, the far-right group Britain First claims to have provided many of the flags in the North West. “Britain First has, so far, donated 75% of its flag stock to local teams in Manchester and the West Midlands for ‘Operation Raise The Colours’,” tweeted leader Paul Golding. “Most of the flags in this photo are now on lampposts and bridges in Manchester and Birmingham!”
HOPE not hate can also reveal that football hooligan chat groups have been encouraging their supporters to get involved and numerous ‘firms’ are known to have raised flags in their local areas.
Again, there is nothing wrong with raising the Union Jack or cross of St George. Despite what people claim on social media, it’s not illegal to be proud to be English or British! It’s also true that not everyone who has raised a flag is far right. But the fact that much of this wave of activism is being organised by well-known racists and extremists does raise questions about the motivations behind much of Operation Raise the Colours.