Why has the Ukraine flag been taken down at Milton Keynes civic offices?
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When Ukraine was first invaded by Russia, MK Council commissioned a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag to be made so it could be flown at the civic offices building in Central Milton Keynes.
But at the end of last month the flag suddenly disappeared, to be replaced by the standard MK Council flag.
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This week city Alderman Paul Bartlett is calling on the council to hoist the Ukraine again and fly it continuously until the conflict is over.
He said: "Just weeks after the Mayor of Milton Keynes hoisted the flag of Ukraine above the civic offices on support of those killed, fleeing and traumatised by war, MKC has removed the flag.
“Fighting and likely war crimes are continuing in Ukraine and this decision needs to be reversed.”
Alderman Bartlett added: "Cities and towns throughout the UK and around the world continue to show their support and that of their residents, yet Milton Keynes Council bureaucrats have deemed it OK to remove the one tangible sign of support that the average resident of Milton Keynes can express.”
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"In March I met with hundreds of refugees in Berlin and Krakow and we need to stand with them until and beyond the end of this horrible war against a sovereign state and its people".
Alderman Bartlett has even a special T-shirt made with the name of his home town of Stony Stratford emblazoned across the Ukrainian national flag.
A spokesman for MK Council told the Citizen today: “When Ukraine was invaded, council officers had a Ukrainian flag quickly made so we could proudly fly it at our Civic building specifically to highlight an important council debate on 9 March in support for Ukraine.
"We flew the flag outside the building continuously for three weeks. At the end of March we returned the regular Milton Keynes Council flag. We very much hope to be able to fly the flag again to celebrate the ending of the Russian invasion.”
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On March 9, Milton Keynes councillors voted to stand with Ukraine and support its people through the crisis.
Their support included divesting any financial interest the council may hold in Russian companies and investments, particularly in gas, oil, and energy.