Stockport is seeing more 'racial incidents' since flags went up and hotel protests have taken place in the borough, the council has heard.

Social housing landlord Stockport Homes, which manages thousands of properties, said it is seeing a rising trend in hate crimes.

It comes after England flags and Union Jacks were fixed to lampposts in some parts of the borough, part of a nation-wide campaign known as 'operation raise the colours'.

Protests have also taken place in Stockport and other parts of the country with tensions over hotels housing asylum seekers.

Data from Stockport Homes showed there were 2.4 hate incident cases per 1,000 homes in 2024/25, compared to a national peer group median of 0.7 incidents in the same time.

The issues came up at a town hall meeting on November 27 about the performance of Stockport Homes.

Stockport council's housing scrutiny meeting on 27 November 2025 (Image - Declan Carey LDRS)

Green Party Councillor Liz Crix asked: "Before all the flags went up and the protests, did you have less racial incidents?

"We did, but I can come back if you want any specifics in terms of what proportion they've gone up by," said Carmel Chambers, the deputy chief executive at Stockport Homes.

She added: "That is trying to say that we did see that those [anti-social behaviour] cases were predominantly racial in nature, there has been a lot going on [with flags and protests], and we are linking that to some of those situations that occurred."

A report explained that the incidents were 'spread across the borough' rather than being specific to any particular area of Stockport.

It continued: 'Seasonal factors such as improved weather and school holidays can contribute to heightened tensions between neighbours. Many incidents began as general neighbour disputes such as disagreements over car parking or children arguing that escalated due to the behaviour of both parties.

'In some cases, offensive language was used; in others, the complainant perceived the behaviour to be racially motivated and despite no explicit racial language being present, cases are logged based upon the perception of the complainant.'

A flag seen on Higher Hillgate in Stockport town centre (Image - Sean Hansford)

Stockport council's position on flags in public spaces has been to leave them in place unless they become a safety risk or have slogans written over them.

Some flags in the borough have been removed from lampposts where Christmas lights are being put up.

But the town hall has come under pressure to go further on flags attached to lampposts, with two councillors urging them to be removed.

Manor ward Councillor Jon Byrne said at a council meeting in October: "We need to make a stand and we need to show that any form of racism is unacceptable, even when dressed up as patriotism.

"I will re-ask as I have done countless times over the past few months, take the flags down without delay."

He was supported by Councillor Claire Vibert at the meeting, who added: "Sometimes it's hard but we have to just do the right thing, so I just wanted to lend my voice to the request from councillor Byrne that the flags are taken down and that we show our communities that we don't tolerate acts that are intended to intimidate others members of our community."

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