Activist behind flag raising campaign charged with 14 offences

The founder of a flag campaign group that put up hundreds of Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags across England has been charged with fourteen offences.

Ryan Bridge, who is the leader of the Raise the Colours group, has been charged with racially aggravated harassment, threatening behaviour, and common assault.

Thames Valley Police said that the charges related to reported incidents between 31 January and 31 March 2026 in Oxfordshire.

Mr Bridge was at Reform UK’s annual conference this week. Reform leader Nigel Farage paid tribute to the flag campaign and Mr Bridge from a stage inside the conference, saying: “If we can help you legally, we will”.

Mr Bridge, 45, was charged on Sunday with seven counts of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, three counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of, or provoke unlawful violence.

He was also charged with two counts of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress, one count of racially aggravated fear of violence, and one count of common assault.

As well as putting up flags around England, Mr Bridge has travelled to Northern France to film small boats in an apparent attempt to stop them coming to the UK.