Edinburgh campaigners ‘threatened with having throats slit’ for removing flags
Anti-racism campaigners who attempted to remove Saltire flags from lampposts last week were ‘threatened with having their throats slit’ the group has claimed.
The alleged incident happened on Sunday morning (October 5) on Calder Road in Sighthill. Members from Stand up to Racism (SUTR) said while they were making attempts to remove Saltire and Lion Rampant flags attached to lampposts they were approached by a man who made violent threats.
A spokesperson for Stand Up To Racism Edinburgh said: “An individual approached threatening to slit our throats and stab us for interfering with ‘my flags.’ This was right beside graffiti saying ‘Deport Muslims.’ He then violently broke our equipment.”
It is understood the flags first emerged in Sighthill on September 9 before they were removed by the council on September 12. But one resident told the Evening News they were re-erected the following day.
The emergence of the national flags in Sighthill comes after the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ campaign in England that saw Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags attached to lampposts in recent months. This is thought to have inspired similar scenes across Scotland and seen anti-migration campaigners protest outside hotels housing asylum seekers.
Supporters of the movement claim the flags represent national pride but critics say the flags are being erected to intimidate ethnic minorities.
Stand Up To Racism campaigners have now launched a petition calling on the council to remove the flags in Sighthill and for the police to ensure ‘the perpetrator is stopped.’
The group’s spokesperson added: “Local residents have asked that the flags be taken down, and students at the nearby campuses report feeling intimidated. The loosely attached flags are also a danger to drivers. Sign the petition if you agree. Say no to racism in Edinburgh.”
Ward councillor for Sighthill and Gorgie, Ross McKenzie, said: “Many constituents have reached out to me to express concern that the flag display is inspired by ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ which seeks to intimidate migrants. The Council initially removed the flags, but they soon returned, and senior Council officers have been ignoring calls for their removal for over three weeks now.
“The Sighthill/Gorgie ward that I represent is overwhelmingly working class and is also ethnically diverse. The vast majority of people in the area have a shared interest in the need for the state to tax wealth to provide housing and improve services, regardless of their ethnicity.
“We are all being failed by governments who prioritise the interests of the wealthiest people above the basic needs of the vast majority of the population. Those who seek to divide the working class on the basis of ethnicity are just doing the dirty work of the rich and powerful.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.30am on Sunday, 5 October, 2025, we received a report of a man threatened by another man in the Calder Road area of Edinburgh. Enquiries are ongoing.”
The City of Edinburgh Council has been approached for comment.