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Police launch probe after St George’s Cross is painted on giant GOOSE mascot as move is dubbed ‘a step too far’

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By SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 20:20 BST, 22 September 2025 | Updated: 20:20 BST, 22 September 2025

Police have launched a probe after a St George’s Cross was painted on a giant goose mascot in a move which was branded ‘a step too far’.

Two-metre tall Goosey the Goose, the centrepiece of Nottingham’s annual Goose Fair, was daubed with red paint in what seemed to be the latest protest in ‘Operation Raise the Colours’, which has seen St George’s Crosses and Union Flags appear across the UK.

The vandalism to the statue, which stands on the Mansfield Road roundabout, is believed to have taken place at around 9.30pm on September 3.

Officers have trawled through CCTV footage, and conducted other inquiries, in a bid to find the person who painted the symbol on the goose, which is made of fibreglass and timber and weighs approximately a quarter of a tonne.

Police Constable Lindsey Webster, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘Goosey is an iconic mascot for the fair and we want to find whoever is responsible for vandalising the statue.

‘We believe a number of vehicles will have passed the area around this time and so would urge anyone with a dashcam to review their footage for anything which could assist. Likewise, anyone who witnessed anything suspicious should get in touch.

‘We know a number of buses travelled past the roundabout as well so if you were a passenger and spotted anything please contact officers.’

A spokesperson for Nottingham City Council said: ‘Goosey has been an iconic figure in the city for many years, a staple of the annual calendar in Nottingham.

Police have launched a probe after a St George’s Cross was painted on a giant goose mascot in a move which was branded ‘a step too far’

Two-metre tall Goosey the Goose, the centrepiece of Nottingham’s annual Goose Fair, was daubed with red paint

‘Whilst the council has made its position in relation to the St George’s flag clear, painting this on Goosey is a step too far.

‘As the council announced last week, Nottingham has the largest St George’s flag in the country which we fly with pride on days of national celebration.

Historic white horse landmark altered to feature a St George’s Cross

‘However, we cannot condone the misuse of the flag, or vandalism, and will remove flags where there is reason to do so, where they are causing an obstruction or other safety issue or if offensive language has been used.’

It comes after a historic white horse landmark was altered to feature the St George’s Cross as ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ continued across the UK.

The famous Westbury White Horse, which has been carved into a Wiltshire hillside for 350 years, had two lengths of red fabric pinned to it.

English Heritage, which owns the land, said it would remove the ribbon as soon as possible, but Wiltshire Police confirmed the force was not investigating the incident.

‘Operation Flying the Colours’, as it has become known, was born out of recent protests at asylum hotels and the display of Palestinian flags in Birmingham in an apparent show of solidarity with Gaza.

But it has divided opinion between those who see it as a boon to national pride and those who say it has been tainted by emboldened elements of the far-right.

The famous Westbury White Horse in Wiltshire, pictured, was altered to feature the St George’s Cross as ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ continued across the UK

Advocates have draped Union and St George’s flags in town centres and – despite pleas from councils not to – inscribed road signs, roundabouts and road markings with the St George’s Cross.

Holding flags high is a two-finger salute ‘to our gutless leaders’, says Farage

Some local councils, such as Tower Hamlets and Birmingham, took down banners from council-owned infrastructure such as lampposts, citing health and safety.

Many Conservatives have opposed those who say the flags should come down.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick was among those to go out and hang up flags, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote in the Mail that the flags were being flown as ‘symbols of unity, nationhood and optimism’.

She added: ‘We Conservatives know there is nothing extreme about pride in our country, whatever our background. There is nothing racist about flying the flag of your nation.’

However, the campaign to raise flags has also been seized upon by the far right, with the likes of Tommy Robinson expressing support..

Operation Raise the Colours was co-founded by Andrew Currien, also known as Andy Saxon, an ally of Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – who has alleged links to the English Defence League and Britain First.

The campaign has also accepted a donation of flags from Britain First, which has denied repeated accusations that it is a far right and fascist organisation.

St George’s and Union flags have been raised in towns across England in recent weeks (pictured: flags flown in Sheerness this month)

However, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson has insisted that the Prime Minister ‘absolutely’ supports those hanging up English flags.

‘I think the PM has always talked about his pride of being British, the patriotism he feels,’ they said.

‘I think he’s talked about that previously… not least recently in relation to the Lionesses’ successful campaign in the Euros. Patriotism will always be an important thing to him.’

The Prime Minister was also derided after he said in a statement that he ‘proudly’ had a flag hung up at home.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I’m very encouraging of flags. I think they’re patriotic and I think they’re a great symbol of our nation.

‘I don’t think they should be devalued and belittled. I think sometimes when they’re used purely for divisive purposes, actually it devalues the flag.

‘I don’t want to see that. I’m proud of our flag.’

Last week Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: ‘[We have] had enough of being called far-right simply because we believe in tough border controls and our national identity.

‘We have had enough of gutless leaders who put the will of foreign courts above our national interest’.

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Police launch probe after St George’s Cross is painted on giant GOOSE mascot as move is dubbed ‘a step too far’

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