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Liverpool city council and Merseyside Police face legal action
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English Democrats candidate objects to rainbow flag
The Lesbian & Gay Foundation has revealed that Liverpool city council has been challenged over its decision to raise the rainbow flag over its town hall in recognition of May 17's International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). Liverpool's LGBT community had praised the council for flying the flag for the first time in the city's history, particularly in the aftermath of the murder of gay Liverpool teen Michael Causer.
But Stephen Gash, who stood for the English Democrats in the 2007 Sedgefield by-election, has lodged a Freedom of Information request regarding whether the council had applied for planning permission to fly the flag prior to IDAHO, and has stated that he is considering bringing a private prosecution against them if he finds that they did not receive it.
He is also considering action against Merseyside Police, who, he claims "flew the rainbow flag from a number of its police stations for one week from 14/05/2009 to 20/05/2009 without prior planning permission being granted and without any action being taken against any individuals."
His stated concerns lie with the flying of non-national flags from public buildings: "I wish it to be known that I have no problem with flags being flown from public buildings provided the required planning permission has previously been granted and paid for. What I do object to is people being harassed for flying national flags perfectly legally from their dwellings or places of work, for which planning permission is not required, and being ordered to take them down."
