On Saturday, the 13th of September, the streets of Central London were flooded with England and British flags as far-right and self-proclaimed ‘patriots’ took to the streets to partake in Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest.
Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a British far-right activist and anti-Islam campaigner with a criminal background. In 2009, he founded the English Defence League (EDL), a far-right, Islamophobic organisation that was frequently involved in violence. Whilst the EDL has since declined, the sentiments that sustained it have remained prominent among white working-class communities in the UK. The steady rise of Reform UK has shifted the Overton window in British politics, and these once sporadic sentiments have become increasingly normalised and mainstream.
Truth vs Fiction
Tommy Robinson claimed that there were three million people at this protest. However, the official estimate from the Metropolitan Police Service was that between 110,000 and 150,000 attended. Despite this being significantly short of Tommy Robinson’s fantasy, it is still worrying that this many people were able to mobilise for one of the largest far-right demonstrations the UK has seen in recent memory. It highlights that attempts to use real-world fears over economic failures and strained public services to fuel division and hatred are working because extreme anti-immigration sentiment has become mainstream.
Whilst some may claim that this protest was simply people showing their national pride and celebrating British / English culture, it is hard to believe this claim when we consider the violence and hate speech that occurred at the protest. The Metropolitan police have said that 26 officers were injured and they made 24 arrests on the day. Also, videos of men chanting distasteful things about women, protestors tearing the Palestinian flag, and allegedly chasing a brown woman down the street while threatening her with physical harm, emerged online.
Tommy Robinson and his followers have claimed that protecting women and girls is a key part of their cause. However, it’s become apparent that their cause has little to do with the protection of women’s rights. As others have argued, the far-right is hijacking women’s safety and exploiting the issue of violence against women and girls to promote its racist rhetoric. By framing immigrants and asylum seekers as the main perpetrators of violence against women and girls, they dismiss the systemic roots of gender-based violence and increase the negative perceptions of non-English people. This approach ignores the fact that English people are just as capable of committing these atrocious acts. Earlier this year, it was revealed that over 40 per cent of 899 people arrested during last summer’s riots had previously been reported to the police for domestic abuse.
Increasingly Violent Times
Just a day before the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest occurred, it was reported that a Sikh woman was allegedly raped in a ‘racially motivated attack.’ The Sikh Federation UK said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman, ‘You don’t belong in this country, get out.’ This language echoes the anti-immigrant rhetoric espoused by Tommy Robinson and the people who support him, highlighting that this sentiment can lead to real violence against women who are perceived as not being ‘English.’ When these people claim to be fighting for the protection of women, it is clear that these claims are often a smokescreen for promoting racialised narratives.
They also do not care about young girls. Following the September 13th protest, it was reported that a nine-year-old was shot with an airgun in a racially aggravated assault. The victim is now said to be too scared to leave her house following the incident in the Brentry area of Bristol. This highlights that the current political climate, which sees the views of Tommy Robinson become mainstream and popular, is creating a dangerous atmosphere for minorities.
The Musk Effect
Powerful figures like Elon Musk amplify the dangerous political climate we find ourselves in. Musk has been using his social media platform X to spread misinformation, promote right-wing ideologies and attack government officials. Being one of the wealthiest people on the planet, Elon Musk has the equivalent of state power. Last year, he played a part in exploiting VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) when he clashed with the UK government over its handling of grooming gangs. He spread misinformation about Prime Minister Keir Starmer to his millions of followers when he accused him of being ‘complicit in the rape of Britain’ during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions, and called for him to be imprisoned. This contributed to the volatile political climate that led to the 2024 riots.
Musk has not stopped his pursuit of undermining British politics. On Saturday, he addressed the crowd at the ‘unite the kingdom’ protest via video link and called for ‘dissolution of Parliament’ and a ‘change of government.’ He also said ‘violence is coming’ and that ‘you either fight back or you die.’
This clear incitement of violence undermines democracy and signals an urgent need to tackle the far-right to dismantle the harmful narratives that are being spread online. Whilst Number 10 has condemned Musk’s comments and the violence that took place at the protests, more serious action needs to be taken to stop this threat. Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has urged the Prime Minister to speak out further about Musk’s comments. He has also called for the government to block Elon Musk’s Tesla from entering the U.K. domestic energy market.
It is important that the government considers these demands because the latest protest was merely a sign of things to come. Musk’s comments, which can be interpreted as inciting civil unrest, show a troubling disregard for democratic processes by those on the right. So far, Musk has been successful in spreading misinformation, weaponising violence against women and girls, and encouraging undemocratic behaviour. With his powerful platform, he can make it even easier for the far-right to continue to mobilise in large numbers, which raises serious questions about the future of British politics.
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