Security has been employed by the council to watch for any confrontation and intimidation against its staff removing England flags around Oxfordshire.
The guards have been called in by Oxfordshire County Council following incidents against its workers tasked with removing the flags.
As reported at the end of March, Raise the Colours Oxfordshire was given formal notice by the authority to stop putting up flags on public furniture including lampposts.
If the group does not comply with the letter, the council will consider all available options to include, but not limited to, civil and criminal proceedings against the organisation and individuals affiliated with it to prevent further unauthorised action.
Osney city and county councillor Susanna Pressel has been a previous victim of the group's "intimidation" when criticism she aimed at the group in a private meeting was leaked.
She said: "I was incensed to hear that when Oxfordshire County Council takes down the illegal flags from its lampposts, they are often threatened with violence by so-called 'patriots' from Raise the Colours, who sometimes follow them back to their depot and even to their homes.
"What is more, the council has to pay for security to protect their contractors, because the police refuse to provide badly-needed security. This can’t be right."
Thames Valley Police's chief superintendent Ben Clark said in an email seen by this newspaper that there is a "high bar" to meet for evidence of intimidation by the group.
Mr Clark said: "People have raised concerns around intimidation and the behaviour of those involved.
"Now quite rightly police should intervene in certain circumstances and I have been very clear to officers that action should be taken if there is evidence of an offence and it is proportionate and necessary to take action (my emphasis)."
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But he added the threshold to get to a criminal offence from intimidation is a "high bar" and added: "Put simply someone saying they feel insulted or intimidated by the actions or behaviour of people involved (either for or against the campaign) is not enough to warrant an offence."
As reported, council leader Liz Leffman said residents report feeling "distressed, unwelcome and unsafe in their own neighbourhoods" as a result of Raise the Colours' actions.
Oxfordshire County Council's spokesman said: "The council puts additional measures in place where needed to ensure the safety of staff and contractors carrying out work on the public highway.
"This has included the presence of security when contractors are removing unauthorised flags, where there has been a credible risk of confrontation or intimidation.
"These measures were introduced following incidents where contractors were challenged or threatened while carrying out their work."
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