A London march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson drew more than 100,000 people on Saturday, turning unruly as a faction of his supporters clashed with police. Officers attempting to keep Robinson’s crowd separate from counter-protesters were punched, kicked, and struck by bottles thrown from the fringes of the rally.
The event, branded as the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, drew an estimated 110,000 participants—vastly outnumbering the rival “March Against Fascism” organized by Stand Up to Racism, which attracted about 5,000 demonstrators.
Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley Lennon, is the founder of the nationalist, anti-Islam English Defence League and remains one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain. His movement is tied to a broader European surge in nationalist rhetoric, fueled by debates over migration, cultural identity, and fears of what some on the far right call the “great replacement.”
From Paris to Berlin, politicians and activists across Europe have echoed similar themes: warning of cultural erosion, portraying Muslim migrants as colonizers, and painting uncontrolled migration as an existential threat to European nations. In Britain, Robinson’s supporters frame the debate as the “erosion of the nation”—once gradual, now accelerating under the weight of mass migration.
Addressing the crowd, Robinson claimed that “migrants now have more rights in court than the British people—the very people who built this nation.” Protesters waved Union Jack flags and chanted “We want our country back.” Placards carried messages such as “Stop the boats,” “Send them home,” and “Save our children.”
The demonstrations come amid a heated national debate over migrant crossings in the English Channel, where thousands have attempted the journey in overcrowded inflatable boats. The imagery of these crossings has become a political flashpoint, symbolizing for many Britons the government’s inability to control borders.
In a dramatic twist, tech billionaire Elon Musk addressed the rally via video link from Whitehall, calling for a change of government in the United Kingdom. His intervention, rare in British politics, electrified Robinson’s supporters and underscored how the migration debate has become entangled with global populist movements.
What began as a show of strength for Robinson and his allies also highlighted Britain’s deepening political divides—between nationalism and multiculturalism, border control and humanitarianism, and the battle over who truly defines the nation’s future.
Reference:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwydezxl0xlo
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