A massive central London march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Lennon, saw over 100,000 participants today. Nick Lowles, the Chief Executive of HOPE not hate, the UK’s leading anti-racism and anti-extremism movement, shared his thoughts with The Mirror.
According to Lowles, the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally led by Lennon was the largest far-right demonstration London has witnessed. The event drew around 110,000 attendees, as reported by the police. Several prominent far-right influencers and politicians, both local and international, delivered highly extreme speeches at the rally.
Lennon, who gained prominence through the now-defunct English Defence League in 2009, has evolved into a prominent far-right figure in the UK. HOPE not hate has been actively exposing Lennon’s true nature, from spreading false claims about a Syrian refugee to evading legal consequences. Following his recent release from prison, Lennon has been actively rallying support nationwide, with occasional trips abroad.
In recent years, Lennon’s views have become more radical and conspiracy-driven, aligning himself with far-right personalities such as Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, and Steve Bannon.
While protesting media labels of the demonstration as far-right, the speeches at the rally and the crowd’s behavior were notably extreme. One individual even publicly called for violence against Keir Starmer, urging his assassination.
Despite the rally’s theme of ‘Uniting the Kingdom,’ a speaker, Brian Tamaki, advocated for a ban on public expressions of other religions in the UK. The event also saw clashes between rally supporters and anti-racists near Trafalgar Square, prompting police intervention with dogs and horses.
Lowles described Lennon as a divisive figure fueling racial tensions and emphasized the need to prevent a surge in racist violence and vandalism across the nation. He urged for unity to uphold Britain’s values of tolerance and peace against such divisive influences.