A complaint has been made against a Machynlleth Town Councillor who told a resident to “forget about those wars” after a flag was taken down during a Welsh rally.

On 14 September a Welsh Language Society/ Cymdeithas yr Iaith rally took place outside Y Plas, Machynlleth, calling for protected housing rights for Welsh people.

During the 400-strong event, a regiment standard bearer flag in the WWI memorial garden next to Y Plas was taken down.

The unnamed resident approached Cllr James Honeybill about the incident a few days later, at which point Honeybill who had attended the rally told him that "people should forget about those wars".

In a written complaint to Machynlleth Town Council, the resident wrote that the councillor "should be more careful with the rhetoric he uses" and that he "would never dream of telling [Honeybill] to forget about Owain Glyndŵr's Battle of Hyddgen".

The letter, read out at the full council meeting on 30 September called for the organisers to apologise to the groundskeeper, townspeople and council for "what might have seemed a high-spirited prank... was deeply offensive to anyone who has served or with family who has served in the armed forces”.

The letter describes it as “rich” of Cllr Honeybill, who “pledged a similar oath to our armed forces to gain a full career and pension”, as a police officer, and that “some of [Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s] followers need to be educated to the fact it was no more a Union Jack than the flag of New Zealand."

The council resolved to forward the complaint to the organisers, whilst Cllr Gareth Jones requested to minute that Honeybill was the offending councillor.

The letter was accompanied by a similar complaint made in person by another resident.

Cllr Honeybill described the incident as a "matter of opinion", adding: "I wasn't aware of the flag issue.

"I told him that it shouldn't have happened, that it was awful, that I agreed with him.

"It was a regrettable act during a peaceful demonstration.

"I stated I was now speaking my own opinion, not the councils, but we had a bit of a clash."

The chairman of Machynlleth’s Royal British Legion, Stephen Doyle, said that though couldn’t comment on something they weren’t involved in, he “wouldn’t have been very happy if someone took down the flag if I’d been there.”

The Welsh Language Society declined to comment until they’ve spoken with the complainant.