Several news reports say England flags are removed by council workers in Portsmouth ahead of the World Cup semi-final against Argentina. According to residents, the flags are taken down on Tuesday—one day before the match—prompting complaints and reports to police. The council response is that the removal is carried out for safety reasons. The Daily Express reports the authority says the flag posed a “fire risk,” while the Manchester Evening News similarly describes the removal and notes that local residents contact police after noticing the flags had been taken down.
The reports focus on the timing of the removal and the dispute over the reason given by the council. While the council frames the action as preventive, residents characterize it as inappropriate in the context of a major national sporting event. No further details about any investigation or outcomes are reported in the provided accounts.
