Tower Hamlets Council is refusing to take down large Palestinian flags from its property.  The east London Borough is also failing to remove inflammatory posters and stickers on lamp posts and other street furniture.

UKLFI has reported Tower Hamlets Council to the Metropolitan Police, after Jewish residents raised “serious concerns” about the flags, posters and stickers.

Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI, said: “Our attention has been drawn to serious concerns on the part of Jewish residents of Tower Hamlets regarding the proliferation of large Palestine flags on lamp-posts in public streets as well as posters and stickers with inflammatory content. These displays intimidate Jewish people and may encourage violence against them.”

Large Palestinian flags have been hung on numerous lamp posts. While it appears that the Council did not give permission to display the flags, it has refused to remove them.

Meanwhile, stickers and posters proliferate, accusing the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “genocide” and calling for “Victory to the Intifada”.

In his letter, Mr Turner points out that under section 224(4)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act, the owner or occupier of the land on which the flags, posters and stickers are displayed is liable for the criminal offences once it knows of their display, unless it takes all reasonable steps to secure their removal.

“We believe that many of the flags, posters and stickers are displayed on land owned or occupied by Tower Hamlets Council,” the letter says.

“The Council has not taken all reasonable steps to secure the removal of flags, posters and stickers on its land and therefore has committed and is committing criminal offences.”

Mr Turner’s letter also notes that under section 331 of the Act, where an offence committed by a body corporate is attributable to any neglect on the part of an officer of that body, the officer as well as the body are guilty of the offence.

The letter goes on to say: “It appears that the Mayor of Tower Hamlets has neglected to ensure the removal of the flags, posters and stickers. Accordingly, both the Mayor of Tower Hamlets and the Council appear to be guilty of multiple criminal offences in this matter.”

UKLFI are grateful to the National Jewish Assembly for drawing this issue to our attention.