His friend Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” march in London, organized with just a few weeks’ notice, drew over 110,000 demonstrators. This event is being described as “Britain’s largest ever far-right protest” by the anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate. The Guardian focused on making sense of the huge turnout, calling the gathering a far-right rally, front-page far-right rally.
Organized by Robinson, the rally was heavily centered on anti-immigration sentiments and what the attendees saw as a dilapidated Britain. Many marchers carried banners with slogans expressing their discontent, such as “We’re not far right, we are England’s mothers and we will not stay silent,” and “Stop the rape of our children, mothers across Britain are taking a stand.”
Chants echoed throughout the streets, with one particularly notable refrain being “Keir Starmer is a wanker,” directed at the Labour Party leader. Robinson charges that Britain is experiencing an “invasion.” He framed it like being “raped,” a blunt observation that reflected the views of so many in attendance.
Even though it was described as a far-right rally by dozens of mainstream media outlets, the vast majority of attendees registered no such designation themselves. This jocular Welshman didn’t hide his opinion, going so far as to say, “Look, I’m very far right. Yet, others vehemently denied the label. A woman from Liverpool expressed her frustration, saying, “I’m not far right and I’m sick of being called it. I’m sick of coming to places like this and being called far right.”
Robinson’s speech resonated with the crowd as he articulated concerns that extend beyond immigration. He cited the problems most impacting the average Briton – the National Health Service (NHS), education, potholes, and the cost of fuel. Just look at the havoc he has wrought on our farmers! This is a beautiful day,” exclaimed a gentleman from Norfolk. The inheritance tax is killing them, and the NHS is going under!
The rally drew appropriate condemnation given the actions of a minority, but the minority nonetheless on-purpose associated with the bad-far-right-idea. Many attendees asserted their presence was motivated by their children’s future and broader societal issues rather than extremist beliefs.
“Why are white people despised when our tax money pays for everything?” questioned a man holding a misspelled sign, echoing a common theme among demonstrators who felt overlooked by current policies.
Tommy Robinson addressed his own personal struggles during his speech, revealing that he is a type 1 diabetic and sharing health concerns: “I’m starting to lose my teeth.” His comments elicited rueful applause from many audience members who welcomed his honesty in the face of a broader political discussion.
“They tried to silence us for 20 years with labels,” – Tommy Robinson
“Racist’, ‘Islamophobe’, ‘far right’. They don’t work any more!” – Tommy Robinson
Robinson’s rhetoric was a powerful tableau of that solidarity. He sounded the alarm about a systematic takeover affecting not just Britain, but every Western country. He stated, “It’s not just Britain that is being invaded; every single western nation faces the same problem: an orchestrated, organised invasion and replacement of European citizens is happening.”
As the rally wrapped up, a great many participants stopped to think about why they had come. A woman from Liverpool passionately conveyed her beliefs: “People are coming in illegally and raping our kids and it’s got to stop.” Her words encapsulated the urgency felt by many marchers who believe that immediate action is needed to address their concerns.