Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday vowed that Britain would “never surrender” to far-right demonstrators, condemning violent scenes at a mass anti-immigration rally in London and insisting the English flag represents “our diverse country.”
A day after more than 100,000 people marched through central London in a “Unite the Kingdom” rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, Starmer said those involved were using the national flag “as a cover for violence” and attacking police officers on duty.
“Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect,” Starmer told. “Our flag represents our diverse country and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.”
The Prime Minister added he would not tolerate citizens being targeted because of their “background or the colour of their skin.”
While acknowledging that people had the right to protest peacefully, he warned they could not “take the law into their own hands” by intimidating others or clashing with law enforcement.
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Organisers billed the rally as a free speech protest, and it drew one of the largest right-wing crowds in Britain in years. More than a lakh protesters marched through Westminster, clashing with officers and confronting a 5,000-strong counter-demonstration by Stand Up To Racism.
Chants of “Tommy,” “Whose street? Our street,” and “England” echoed across the city, while some in the largely white crowd sang “Keir Starmer’s a wanker” to the tune of Seven Nation Army. Placards carried by marchers read “Stop the boats,” “Send them home,” and “Enough is enough, save our children.”
Speakers at the rally included Robinson and billionaire X owner Elon Musk, who joined via video-link. Their speeches invoked the so-called “great replacement” conspiracy theory, claiming European people were being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants.
The protest unfolded against the backdrop of intense debate in Britain over migration, particularly the rise in small boat crossings over the English Channel.
Starmer’s remarks came after MPs and anti-fascist groups urged him to denounce Robinson’s rhetoric and the violence seen during the march.
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