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A rally in London, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, drew over 110,000 people on Saturday (Sep 13). It turned violent when a small group of Robinson’s supporters clashed with police officers who were trying to separate them from counter-protesters.
The cops were punched, kicked, and hit with bottles hurled by fringe protesters. The Metropolitan Police deployed reinforcements, including those wearing helmets and carrying riot shields, to support over 1,000 officers on duty.
Twenty-six police officers were wounded during the clashes, with four suffering serious injuries, including broken teeth, a concussion, a possible broken nose, and a spinal injury.
At least 25 people were arrested for violent disorder, assault, and criminal damage, and the police investigation is underway, said the police.
“There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence,” Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said. “They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.”
How free speech rally turned into anti-immigration protest
The protest attracted an estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people, according to the police, who added that the number exceeded expectations.
In contrast, the counter-protest, “March Against Fascism,” organised by Stand Up To Racism, drew around 5,000 marchers.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent far-right figure in Britain, known for founding the nationalist and anti-Islam group English Defense League.
The march was billed as a demonstration in support of free speech. However, much of the rhetoric from influencers and far-right politicians centred on anti-migration sentiments, a contentious issue across Europe.
“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,” far-right French politician Eric Zemmour said.
Musk appears at London’s far-right rally, calls for “dissolution of Parliament”
Elon Musk, speaking via video link to Robinson, called for a “dissolution of Parliament” and an immediate change of government in the UK, telling crowds at the far-right “Unite the Kingdom” rally that Britain “cannot wait another four years” for an election.
He urged what he described as the “reasonable centre” of the British public to recognise that “violence is going to come to you… You either fight back or you die.”
“My appeal is to British common sense, which is to look carefully around you and say, ‘If this continues, what world will you be living in?” This is a message to the reasonable centre, the people who ordinarily wouldn’t get involved in politics, who just want to live their lives. They don’t want that; they’re quiet, they just go about their business. My message is to them: if this continues, that violence is going to come to you, you will have no choice,” he said.
The tech mogul then linked his appeal to the killing of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, accusing the left of being the “party of murder. He claimed that the activists were “celebrating [Kirk’s] death openly.”
“There is so much violence on the left, with our friend Kirk getting murdered in cold blood this week and people on the left celebrating it openly. The left is the party of murder and celebrating murder. I mean, let that sink in for a minute, that’s who we’re dealing with here,” he said.
As the call ended, Robinson hailed Musk’s intervention, saying: “Not only are we in the fight right now, but we’re on the advance thanks to free speech being fought for, for us, by Elon Musk.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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