‘Hate will not be allowed on British streets’: Starmer vows to stop ‘far-right agitators’ ahead of Tommy Robinson march
More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration, The Independent reports, leading to increased security measures and a significant deployment by the Metropolitan Police.Speaking on Monday, Starmer described the planned event as “designed to confront and intimidate this diverse country”, while warning that the government would take action against foreign figures attempting to attend.“That’s why this Labor government will ban far-right protesters from traveling to Britain,” Starmer said.“We will not allow people to come to Britain, threaten our communities and spread hatred on our streets.”Ahead of the march, Robinson posted a video on social media promoting the rally and captioned it: “Unite the Kingdom rally chant. See you all on Saturday. Start packing your bags Kiir.”
UK government Many people have already been blocked
Under British immigration law, if a person’s presence is considered “not conducive to the public good”, the Home Secretary can cancel or refuse permission to enter the country.According to reports, at least seven people have been stopped from entering Britain even before March.Last month, US anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez was banned from entering Britain after criticism from MPs and campaign groups. Gomez has courted controversy in the past for provocative anti-Muslim stunts, including publicly burning a copy of the Quran.He was expected to speak at the rally after appearing at a previous protest in September.Another right-wing American commentator, Joey Mannarino, also claimed that he was denied entry to the UK on public interest grounds.
Police are preparing for massive demonstration
The rally is expected to coincide with a separate pro-Palestine demonstration marking Nakba Day, raising concerns over public order in London.Mark Rowley had previously said that police were “concerned” about the scale of the demonstrations and were considering what restrictions and powers might be needed to maintain order.Previous “Unite the Kingdom” protests had reportedly drawn 110,000 to 150,000 participants.
Tommy Robinson’s history of anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has long been associated with anti-Islam and anti-immigration campaigns in Britain.Over the years, he has repeatedly claimed that mass immigration threatens British identity and culture.The activist has often made inflammatory comments about Muslims, opposed the building of mosques and argued that immigration has made British communities “unsafe”.Robinson has also been linked to a number of far-right protests and controversies over the past decade, making him one of Britain’s most polarizing political activists.