Starmer says UK will ‘never surrender’ flag to far-right protesters

Britain volition “never surrender” to far-right protesters who usage the nationalist emblem arsenic screen for unit and intimidation, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer says aft convulsive scenes astatine 1 of the country’s largest far-right demonstrations successful decades.

More than 110,000 radical marched done cardinal London connected Saturday successful a protestation against migration led by far-right activistic Tommy Robinson, whose existent sanction is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Some attending the Unite the Kingdom rally clashed with police. Twenty-six officers were injured, and astatine slightest 24 radical were arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police.

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In his archetypal nationalist comments since the rally, Starmer said connected Sunday that peaceful protestation was a cardinal worth successful Britain, but helium condemned assaults connected constabulary officers and intimidation against marginalised communities.

“People person a close to peaceful protest. It is halfway to our country’s values,” helium said. “But we volition not basal for assaults connected constabulary officers doing their occupation oregon for radical feeling intimidated connected our streets due to the fact that of their inheritance oregon the colour of their skin.”

He added: “Britain is simply a federation proudly built connected tolerance, diverseness and respect. Our emblem represents our divers country, and we volition ne'er surrender it to those that usage it arsenic a awesome of violence, fearfulness and division.”

Islam is the ‘real enemy’

Saturday’s protestation was marked by nationalist symbols, scuffles and inflammatory speeches. Footage showed constabulary connected horseback pelted with bottles portion baton charges were utilized to propulsion backmost Robinson supporters and let astir 5,000 counterdemonstrators to permission the Whitehall country of cardinal London safely.

A signifier was erected for speeches from a lineup of far-right figures. Leading the complaint was Robinson, who told the crowd: “It’s not conscionable Britain that is being invaded. It’s not conscionable Britain that is being raped.”

“Every azygous Western federation faces the aforesaid problem: An orchestrated, organised penetration and replacement of European citizens is happening,” helium added.

International speakers included French person Eric Zemmour, who echoed the views enactment guardant by Robinson. “We are some taxable to the aforesaid process of the large replacement of our European peoples by peoples coming from the southbound and of Muslim culture,” helium said, citing the large replacement conspiracy mentation that achromatic Europeans are being deliberately replaced by radical from different ethnicities.

“You and we are being colonised by our erstwhile colonies,” Zemmour added.

Similarly, Belgian far-right person Filip Dewinter declared: “It has to beryllium wide that Islam is our existent enemy. We person to get escaped of Islam. Islam does not beryllium successful Europe, and Islam does not beryllium successful the UK.”

Other speakers included Danish People’s Party person Morten Messerschmidt, German Alternative for Germany MP Petr Bystron and Polish person Dominik Tarczynski.

Tesla CEO and X Chairman Elon Musk besides made an quality by videolink, telling protesters the UK needed an “urgent alteration successful government” and informing them to “fight back” oregon “die”.

Police, authorities and antifascist groups condemn violence

The rally came amid a question of far-right unit successful caller months, including arson attacks connected hotels lodging asylum seekers.

Experts said these incidents, fuelled by conspiracy theories, xenophobia and online disinformation, person intensified concerns implicit the emergence of far-right movements crossed Britain and Europe, which often spill implicit into rioting and violence.

Antiracism demonstrators show placards during a Stand Up to Racism protestation successful London connected September 13, 2025 [Tayfun Salci/EPA]

Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Matt Twist said the unit directed astatine officers was “wholly unacceptable”. He added: “There is nary uncertainty that galore came to workout their lawful close to protest, but determination were galore who came intent connected violence.”

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood besides condemned the violence, informing that anyone taking portion successful transgression acts would “face the afloat unit of the law”.

Starmer’s remarks followed calls from the antifascist radical Hope Not Hate and respective MPs urging the authorities to enactment against the surge successful far-right mobilisation. Hope Not Hate described the protestation arsenic “extremely disturbing”.

“While the turnout was importantly smaller than the millions claimed by Lennon and his supporters, it appears to beryllium the largest far-right objection ever seen successful Britain,” the radical said.

“For anyone disquieted astir the emergence of far-right activism and the normalisation of viciously anti-migrant, anti-Muslim sentiment, it could beryllium a motion of acheronian times to come,” it added.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies