A massive crowd of over 100,000 individuals participated in a central London march today led by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Lennon. Nick Lowles, the Chief Executive of HOPE not hate, a prominent anti-racism and anti-extremism organization in the UK, shared his insights with The Mirror regarding the event.
Lowles remarked that London saw its largest-ever far-right gathering as Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally attracted an estimated 110,000 attendees, as reported by the police. The demonstration featured various influential far-right personalities and politicians from both the UK and overseas, delivering exceptionally extreme speeches.
Tommy Robinson rose to prominence in the far-right scene after establishing the now-defunct English Defence League (EDL) in 2009, becoming one of the most recognizable far-right extremists in the UK. HOPE not hate has been instrumental in exposing Robinson’s true nature, from his defamatory statements against a Syrian refugee to his ongoing attempts to avoid accountability. Following his release from prison earlier this year, Robinson has been actively mobilizing support nationwide, occasionally traveling to Spain using his Irish passport.
In recent years, Robinson has displayed increasingly extremist and conspiratorial tendencies, associating with far-right figures such as Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and Steve Bannon.
While Robinson contested labeling the rally as far-right, several speeches delivered during the event were notably extreme, mirroring the sentiments of certain attendees. For instance, one individual interviewed openly threatened Keir Starmer, stating that he should be assassinated.
Despite the event’s theme of ‘Uniting the Kingdom,’ a speaker at the rally, Brian Tamaki, advocated for the prohibition of public expressions of other religions in the Christian nation, calling for bans on practices like Halal, Burqas, mosques, temples, and shrines.
Violent clashes erupted between rally supporters and anti-racists near Trafalgar Square, prompting law enforcement to deploy dogs and horses to restore order.
Describing Robinson as a divisive figure aiming to sow discord in the country, Lowles emphasized the need to prevent anti-immigration protests from escalating into racist violence and destruction across the nation. He urged for unity and resilience to uphold Britain’s values of tolerance, peace, and solidarity, emphasizing the importance of not allowing individuals like Robinson to prevail.