By Jane Haynes

Copyright birminghammail

A call has gone out to plaster Birmingham’s neighbourhoods with colourful posters instead of flags in a bid to show a ‘united front against hate’. Neighbours of all backgrounds, colours and faiths are behind the campaign and claim it is already gaining traction. Supporters say many in the city are desperate to show that those proclaiming racial hate on political platforms, online and through the media do not speak for them. They decided to speak out in the face of the damaging and worrying rhetoric and misinformation being openly shared about migrants and refugees, fuelled by right-wing campaigns and influencers. READ MORE: Violence against women condemned after shocking daylight rapes in Oldbury and West Bromwich Initially a local campaign by a group of five neighbours in Kings Heath , the organisers now hope it will spread across the city and beyond. “While others are choosing to sow division, we’re choosing to flood Birmingham with a message of unite, peace and hope,” they said. The poster, carrying the slogan ‘Brummies united against racism and hate crime’ has colourful thumbs up and peace symbols alongside. It is a way of declaring ‘this household does not condone hate and division’, said one of the neighbours, Mus, who asked us not to use her family name. The group of neighbours had orginally created the poster after a group called Patriotic Alliance stuck up posters and stickers around Kings Heath in 2022, denouncing migrants. The idea was then picked up in other communities, said Mus. READ MORE: West Midlands ‘more divided and hateful’ warning as racism ‘going unchallenged’ She said she wanted to do something again, but this time citywide, after hearing the hate speeches and expressions of violence made during the weekend’s nationalist rally in London, coordinated by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s alter ego Tommy Robinson. An estimated 150,000 people attended the event, which included appearances by Elon Musk and Katy Hopkins. Downing Street has fiercely condemned Musk, the tech billionaire and former ally of Donald Trump, for using “dangerous and inflammatory” language at the event after he appeared live on screen at the rally to tell protestors that “violence is coming” and “you either fight back or you die”. Keir Starmer has been under pressure from his own MPs and anti-fascist groups to be more proactive in defence of diversity and speak out against some of the rhetoric used during what is thought to have been the largest nationalist event in decades. One supporter of the poster campaign said it was great to have a way to display their backing for neighbours feeling intimidated and silenced by anti-migrant and racist commentary. Katherine, who works for the NHS locally, from Kings Heath, said: “I am heartbroken and ashamed of the demonisation of people seeking safety from war, persecution and grinding poverty. “I am a white, British person born in Britain, raised in the Christian faith and attended a Church of England school. I do not recognise the spreading of hatred and lies about some of the most vulnerable people in the world as anything I was brought up with.” She said the London rally and the toxic and racist commentary shared by many of those speaking at it were ‘devastating’. “I do not want to be associated with them in any way as a British person,” she said. The current proliferation of flags across the city has also triggered concern among some communities, who fear the patriotic initiative has been hi-jacked by the far right. Those behind the local campaign say it is not racist but a joyous celebration of the Union flag and St George’s Cross, but others say the massive sweep of flags along main routes and neighbourhoods is intimidatory. A gofundme fundraising campaign has just been launched to cover the costs of printing off any posters and stickers adorned with the image. The group has also set up a Facebook group.