Raise the Colours: From Flag-Raising to Extremist Vigilantism

Raise the Colours was launched last summer in Birmingham with the explicit goal of displaying St George’s Cross flags as a patriotic statement. Early members described the activity as a light-hearted celebration, saying “it was a laugh… hundreds of cars were beeping ‘well done lads’.” The group framed the flag as a unifying national symbol.

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In November, activists slashed migrant boats in France, resulting in a ban of ten participants, labeled far-right activists. Ryan Bridge posted a 14 May video in which he demanded that immigrants be expelled from the country. After Henry Nowak’s death, protests injured eleven officers and two arrests. Bridge was arrested in Oxford (31 March) and London (16 May). A flag clash caused a van crash that injured a victim. The group spent tens of thousands of pounds; Bridge has asked for more funds.

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‘Peter’ and former members have quit, saying the group morphed into “the Ryan Bridge show” and abandoned its original aim. Daniel Thomas, a former frontman and ex-bodyguard of Tommy Robinson, left after a dispute with Bridge; Elliott Stanley is absent from recent footage. New participants now display neo-Nazi symbols, including an “Aryan Power” banner and an “Aryan Fist” t-shirt, indicating a shift toward extremism.

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Raise the Colours said its activities “must remain peaceful and within the law” and that it “does not support violence or any unlawful activity.” The French government’s ban of ten members was framed as a response to far-right activism. Bridge, Thomas and the group declined comment.

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Defectors say the group now serves “the Ryan Bridge show” and prioritises attention over its patriotic claim. Sid Venkataramakrishnan of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue called the shift a “graduation” in anti-migrant activism, citing Henry Nowak’s death as a rallying point. Critics condemn neo-Nazi symbols and the doxxing of locals opposing the flags.

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The evolution of Raise the Colours illustrates how a self-styled patriotic campaign can become a platform for extremist vigilantism, feeding the broader anti-immigrant movement in the UK. Its actions have heightened community tensions, inspired similar direct-action initiatives such as Daniel Thomas’s boat-based videos, and intersect with the emergence of the ultra-right party “Restore,” which seeks to capitalize on anti-immigration sentiment.

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• “The whole thing has gotten completely out of control… It needs to stop.” — Peter, former member

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• “I wish it never started. I’m really regretful,” — Peter

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• “get immigrants out of our fucking country” — Ryan Bridge (video, 14 May)

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• “It’s the flag of our national country. It should be a unifying banner for all of us, for everybody, and that’s what I tried to get across. I don’t think it ever came across for people because they were not prepared to listen to me, they’d already had preconceptions of what we were doing it for.” — Peter

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Bridge continues to solicit small donations while promoting further flag actions. Thomas has launched a boat-based campaign targeting migrants crossing the Channel. Authorities monitor the group for additional protests and possible prosecutions.

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