England flags are removed from Canoe Lake in wake of racist attack

England flags have been removed from Canoe Lake following a racist assault in the area, the council has confirmed.

- by Kelly Brown

They were placed on lampposts at the Southsea park where a man was punched in the head and verbally racially abused by a group of five or six men seen carrying flags.

The incident happened on Sunday, September 21 at around 8pm where the victim, a man in his 30s, was knocked to the ground by the punch and was taken to hospital as a precaution after suffering minor injuries.

It coincided with the St George's Cross flags being placed at Canoe Lake near to the Emmanuel Memorial where candles and an American flag were also placed for the murdered right-wing American activist Charlie Kirk. These were also subsequently removed.

A statement from Portsmouth City Council said that while it was not removing flags as a matter of routine, it had removed these ones as a direct result of the racist attack.