A COUNCIL has suspended the removal of Saltire flags from lampposts after staff faced abuse and intimidation.
Aberdeenshire Council said it had requested the assistance of Police Scotland before workers would resume the operation.
Staff said they had been "threatened" while taking down flags which have been put up on streetlights in recent days, as part of the far-right backed "Raise The Colours" campaign, which began in England and has spread on social media.
Aberdeenshire Council said it has seen a sharp rise in flags being flown from streetlights and reports of flags being painted on roads.
A council spokesperson added: "Sadly, we have also seen a rise in our staff being threatened when taking them down.
"It is entirely unacceptable to threaten any of our staff carrying out their jobs, and we will be asking police to get involved."
The council added that it was an offence to "hang anything from street lights, or to damage the road in any way".
"Any unauthorised installations will be removed and handed in to the local police station where the owners can collect them," the spokesperson said.
The council confirmed later on Thursday that police had been called to assist.
A spokesperson said: "Abuse is being reported to Police Scotland. Removal has been suspended for today.
"The assistance of Police Scotland will be requested to allow removal to resume."
It comes after Falkirk Council said earlier this week that staff had been "abused and threatened" while attempting to remove flags over the weekend.
The Saltire flags had also been attached to street lighting as part of the "Raise the Colours" campaign, coinciding with an anti-migrant protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen City Council also confirmed that it is removing flags.
Similar examples are appearing across Scotland, with several Saltires spotted flying from lampposts in Maryhill in Glasgow in recent weeks.
A Facebook group called The Tartan Team, which claims to be behind the flags, said: "Many many many more flags will be going up.
"It's going to be covered over the next couple of weeks. You won't be able to go anywhere without seeing our beautiful flag."
Bob Doris, SNP MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, raised concerns from some of his constituents that the far right are trying to "hijack" the Saltire.
Speaking in Holyrood on Thursday, he said: "Hundreds of Scottish Saltires have been put up in my constituency, predominantly but not exclusively in the Maryhill area.
“The Saltire is inclusive, welcoming, and tolerant. However, serious concerns have been raised by many of my constituents that there may be an attempt by the far right to hijack our country's flag.”
Doris asked First Minister John Swinney to show "solidarity" with the Maryhill community, as well as asking what support the Scottish Government might be able to offer.
Swinney said the Scottish Government believes "Scotland is best served by being an inclusive, welcoming country".
He said that the “national flag of Scotland has always been represented as an inclusive flag, which is there to draw all of us together in Scotland as an essential part of our national identity”.
“I would always want to make sure that was the case,” he added.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Any decision to remove flags from street furniture is a matter for the local authority. “We have a duty to ensure the safety of the public and anyone who feels they have been subjected to abusive of threatening behaviour should report it to us via 101 and it will be investigated.”
