Protesters calling for the release of Tommy Robinson, a British influential far-right activist serving an 18-month prison sentence, marched towards Downing Street on Saturday, as anti-fascists held a counter-demonstration a few hundred metres away.
Police were sent to keep the groups apart, leading to road closures across central London from Saturday morning. Five arrests were made, including three after Robinson’s supporters invaded the counter-demonstrators' designated area in Whitehall.
Hundreds of Robinson’s supporters waved Union Jack and St George’s Cross flags, chanting “we want our country back” and “we want Starmer out”, referring to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. There were also American flags and masks of President Donald Trump, with some protesters wearing caps bearing the letters MEGA, standing for “Make England Great Again”.
Protester Craig, from London, held up a T-shirt thanking tech billionaire Elon Musk for his support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, this month. “Elon Musk has showed assistance verbally and hopefully financially. We love Elon Musk and we love the Donald [Trump] too,” he told The National.
He rejected claims that Mr Musk is meddling in UK affairs. “The Labour Party sent representatives to the US election so they can’t say that. We need Elon Musk for free speech. He’s helped us,” Craig said.
The UK government is debating how to crack down on online disinformation after far-right riots were caused by false claims around the Southport knife attacker last year. Robinson was accused of stoking the false news, which he shared to his millions of followers on Mr Musk’s platform X.
Some MPs have sought to expand the notion of foreign disinformation – often linked to hostile states or groups – to include influential people such as Mr Musk. An inquiry launched by the Foreign Affairs Committee in January will publish it findings this month.
“These threats aren’t just coming from hostile states, but also non-state actors,” said Emily Thornberry, a Labour MP who leads the committee. “Powerful figures such as Elon Musk exploit their platform to spread disinformation that disrupts and destabilises.”
Robinson was jailed in October last year for contempt of court, after repeatedly breaching an order to stop making false claims about a Syrian refugee living in the UK. But the marchers on Saturday said Robinson was jailed for his political views.
“Tommy has been talking about the problems that are going on now back in 2006. Everything he talked about is now coming to light. He speaks the truth and that’s why he’s in prison,” said Jerry, a marcher from west London.
Mr Musk had “given back freedom of speech”, she added. “He took Twitter on and gave Tommy a platform again. It’s because of Elon that this is happening and that everyone is able to realise what’s going on."
Some of the marchers also held flags in support of Israel, with one shouting slurs about Palestine.
Anti-racism activists gathered in Piccadilly Circus for their march to parliament. US President Trump was also namechecked here, with protesters demanding “Dump Trump”, “Smash the far right” and for refugees to be welcomed.
Samira Ali, one of the protest’s organisers, described Robinson as a “fascist” and his supporters as “pathetic”. “There’s a sad bunch of them that want to take the streets of London today. But we’re here to say the far right is never welcome,” she said in a speech.
Remi said the “threat of the far right was absolutely everywhere”. He is part of London’s French community who often gathered to oppose the rising political trend in the UK and France – where the far-right party of Marine Le Pen won the popular vote last year.
“It’s a very critical time. We need to be closing the ranks, showing our important values,” he told The National.
Aid workers and volunteers supporting migrants and refugees seeking to enter the UK were also present. Charlotte Khan, who heads the advocacy for the NGO Care4Calais, said she was concerned about Tommy Robinson’s popularity but not surprised.
“I can’t say that I’m surprised. We have a nation that has been fed disgusting rhetoric via politicians and the media, unfortunately, for many years now,” she told The National
But she was also “bitterly disappointed” with Labour’s policy on asylum seekers. Though she welcomed the scrapping of the Rwanda bill, she condemned the new border policing partnerships with other countries.
“These policies around smashing the gangs will achieve nothing. We need to stop the talk and start saving people’s lives,” she said.
The deep disapproval of the UK government’s centre-left Prime Minister seemed as present here as at the rival march.
Ms Collett said she was “seriously worried” about the rise of the Reform anti-immigration party that saw a surge in popularity in the last UK general election.
“I don’t think the Labour Party are doing anything to combat that. Their majority is like a sandcastle easily washed away at the tide of the next elections,” she said.
