Anyone walking along North Street over the weekend may have spotted something different on top of the Tobacco Factory.
A European flag has been flying on top of the building for some time, but on Friday it was lowered to half mast and one of the stars had been removed.
Former mayor and owner of the Tobacco Factory, George Ferguson, told Bristol Live that the flag has been flying for a while on top of the building as a “sign of hope” but was lowered to half mast after the General Election results “out of despair”.
He added: “We put it up a while back and have been flying it at full mast for some time.
“But after the election results on Friday we decided to fly it at half mast just to show our feelings of madness and sadness at the results and the fact it means we will now definitely be leaving the EU.
“It’s certainly not Bristol’s will that we exit the European Union but it looks like the rest of the country have decided, which is why I think Bristol should be declared as an independent state.”
The Conservative Party received its largest majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987 in Thursday's General Election.
Mr Ferguson also said there were plans to lower the European flag at the Grain Barge - which he also owns - to half mast as well.
He added: “The remarkable thing is actually the number of people who have thanked me for doing it, we have only had one complaint that I’m aware of.”
The European flag symbolises both the European Union and, more broadly, the identity and unity of Europe. It features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. They stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe.
Mr Ferguson said one of the stars had been removed from the flag to symbolise the UK finally leaving the European Union.
The UK is due to leave the EU on January 31, 2020. With Mr Johnson and the Conservative Party's huge majority it seems likely that this deadline will be met as there are not enough opposition MPs to stop the Withdrawal Agreement from being voted through.
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