London far-right rally drew more than 110,000 people on Saturday, making it the biggest gathering of its kind in decades. The event, led by Tommy Robinson, turned violent and fuelled extremist rhetoric.
London experienced its largest far-right demonstration in decades on Saturday, with over 110,000 participants attending a rally held by activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, more widely recognized as Tommy Robinson. The rally described as “festival of free speech,” quickly became a platform for racist conspiracy theories, anti-Muslim propaganda, and violence .
Demonstrators came via trains from across the country, inundating Whitehall and adjoining roads far beyond estimates provided by police. Metropolitan Police arrested atleast 25 people for a variety of offences, which ranged from affray, violent disorder and criminal damage. Twenty-six officers sustained injury in disorder that saw bottles and flares thrown at the police.
Robinson was joined virtually by a suitably heavyweight guest list, including Elon Musk, who phoned in to insist Britain is seeing “a rapidly rising erosion” of its culture.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44482291
St George’s and Union Jacks were prevalent in the march, while “Whose streets? Our streets” was the chant that echoed along Westminster Bridge. Stalls distributed Robinson books, and applause rang out as performers tore up Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State, and Palestine flags.
“Counter-Protesters Challenge the London Far-Right Rally”
Anti-fascist activists and unionists mobilised about 5,000 counter-demonstrators who organised an alternative march in the capital. MP Diane Abbott, addressed the counter-demonstration, stating Robinson’s supporters as “some of the most anti-women forces of society” .
Assistant commissioner Matt Twist condemned the assault on officers as “wholly unacceptable,”. Some of the injuries were in the form of broken teeth, concussions, and suspected fractures. “Some came to exercise their legal right to protest, but others came intending to cause violence,” he said.
The demonstration indicated the increasing uptick of far-right activism in the UK—rattling alarm bells about the normalisation of extremist rhetoric and the implications for public safety, social cohesion, and political stability.
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