Britain will “never surrender” to far-right demonstrators who exploit the English flag to provoke violence and instill fear, stated Keir Starmer, as he denounced assaults on police and the racist harassment of minorities.
The prime minister emphasized that the St George’s flag “symbolizes our diverse nation” and cautioned that he would not accept individuals being “intimidated on our streets due to their background or skin color”.
His remarks followed calls from MPs and anti-fascist organizations for him to denounce the rhetoric observed at Saturday’s nationalist demonstration, which was characterized as the largest in decades. This protest was orchestrated by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose actual name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
In his initial reaction to the rally, Starmer asserted that while the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental British principle, “violence and intimidation” are intolerable. He criticized the far right’s effort to appropriate the national flag for “violence, fear, and division”.
“Individuals possess the right to peaceful protest. It is fundamental to our nation’s principles,” he conveyed to the Guardian. “However, we will not tolerate assaults on police officers performing their duties or individuals feeling threatened on our streets because of their background or skin color. Britain is a country proudly founded on tolerance, diversity, and respect.
Authorities reported that between 110,000 and 150,000 individuals participated in the march, where confrontations occurred between protesters and law enforcement. The Metropolitan Police indicated that numerous officers were “punched, kicked, and struck by bottles”. Nine individuals were apprehended, with additional arrests anticipated. Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist remarked that while some attendees came to protest peacefully, “many arrived with the intent to commit violence”.
The rally featured remarks from billionaire X owner Elon Musk, a former associate of Donald Trump, who cautioned that “violence is imminent” and advocated for the dissolution of parliament and a new election.
Starmer’s firm position may alleviate worries among Labour members regarding his previous inaction against the surge of right-wing extremism. The organization Hope Not Hate had previously reached out to him, requesting a definitive denunciation of the increasing racist discourse.
Robinson, the founder of the English Defence League, continues to be one of the most prominent far-right figures in the UK. His demonstration was inspired by European nationalist leaders, including French politician Éric Zemmour, who asserted: “We are both subject to the same process of the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture … you and we are being colonised by our former colonies.”
