But some Birmingham residents were uncomfortable with the motivations of some of those backing the Weoley Warriors’ crusade, as both flags have been exploited by some far-right political movements and demonstrations.
Since then, the flags have appeared on streets across England – in a movement known as Operation Raise the Colours.
Heavily fuelled by social media, people have been pictured using ladders to hoist the flags as high as possible, and a national campaign has been encouraging people to submit instances of the flags appearing.
Joseph Moulton, from York, is co-founder of the campaign Flag Force UK, and said the drive was about getting the country to unify under one flag.
However, Malcom Farrow is a vexillologist – someone who studies flags – and he said the reason some associate both the St George’s Cross and union flags with far right groups is because Britain has never been a nation that has flown flags often.
As a result, Mr Farrow believes different groups have since been able to hijack them as their own symbols.
More than £20,000 has been raised to support one campaign to put up flags in and around Birmingham, while more than 4,000 people have also signed a petition calling for the local authority to stop removing the flags.
St George’s Crosses have also been painted on roundabouts in Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Lincolnshire and Worcestershire, among others.
