Tommy Robinson’s Rally in London: What to Know

The main focus of Robinson’s campaigns in the past have been critical of Islam, but more recently he has focused on free speech.

Tommy Robinson in central London, on July 27, 2024. Maja Smiejkowska/PA Wire

A rally named the “Unite The Kingdom Free Speech Festival” is set to take place in London on Sept. 13, amid a background of growing anti-mass migration sentiment.

Rally organizers say on their website that they intend to make British capital the “beating heart of a national awakening.”

Along with promoting free speech, organizers are urging attendees to celebrate their patriotism by bringing their national flags to coincide with the recent Raise the Colours movement, which has resulted in Union Jacks and Crosses of St. George hoisted in huge numbers across England.

The main organizer of the Unite The Kingdom rally is Tommy Robinson, known in the UK for his anti-Islamic and pro-nationalist views.

A counterprotest is set to take place just yards away from the main event, with those organizers saying Robinson’s event promotes “racism” and “fascism.” Police plan to call in extra officers from outside the capital for the gatherings, with around 1,600 officers expected to be deployed.

Here’s what we know about the event, and the controversy around it.

What Is the Unite The Kingdom Free Speech Festival?

“Set to be the largest outdoor free speech event the UK has ever seen, this landmark day will bring together outspoken voices, political disruptors, and fearless truth-tellers from across Europe and the United States—uniting in a powerful stand for liberty, truth, and the right to speak freely,” the website states.

Organizers say thousands are expected to attend the event, which is due to start on Stamford Street, near Waterloo Bridge, at 11 a.m., with attendees marching towards the southern end of Whitehall.

Whitehall is regarded as the center of government in the United Kingdom and is the location of many government departments. For this reason, it is often a focal point for protests.

The event is set to attract a raft of right-wing speakers from various nations address the crowd.

Robinson held a similar event in London in July last year.

Who Is Speaking at the Event?

Speakers confirmed for the festival include Robinson, British media personality Katie Hopkins, Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, Polish MEP Dominik Tarczynski, Canadian Rebel Media founder Ezra Levant, and Ant Middleton, a former member of the British special forces and TV presenter who has also announced his intention to run for mayor of London in 2028. Half a dozen other speakers are also listed.

Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson was announced in June as a speaker, although his name does not appear on the event’s website. A post on his daughter’s X account in August suggests that ill health may keep him from attending.

Who Is Tommy Robinson?

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been politically active in the UK for years, initially rising to fame as co-founder of the English Defence League (EDL) in 2009.

The EDL and Robinson himself were often accused of being far-right, and of espousing fascist views—something that Robinson has always denied.

He severed ties with the organization in 2013, and it has since become defunct.

The main focus of his campaigns in the past have been critical of Islam, but more recently they have shifted to issues of free speech.

Viewed as a controversial figure for his vocal opposition to Muslim male immigration in the UK, he has been jailed numerous times, including for contempt of court, using false travel documents, and mortgage fraud. He was most recently released from prison in May.

Robinson has frequently stated he believes he has been unfairly targeted by British authorities for his political views and has denied allegations of racism.

‘Raise the Colours’

The event takes place amid the Raise the Colours movement that first gained interest on social media over the summer and has continued into September.

Starting in England, the movement has resulted in British flags and the Cross of St. George appearing up and down the country, in numbers usually only seen during soccer tournaments such as the World Cup.

It has come amid rising concerns and ongoing protests in the country against illegal immigration, centering in particular around the British government’s policy of housing asylum seekers in hotels, and has been backed by numerous figures on the right, but decried by many on the left of UK politics.

Robinson has been full-throated in his support of the flag movement.

Counterprotest

Robinson’s events are often met by counterprotests from left-wing groups in Britain, and Saturday’s festival is no exception.

Organized by the group Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), a counterprotest named March Against Fascism is due to take place in London at the same time as Robinson’s event.

That event will form up in Russell Square in the capital starting midday before marching to the northern end of Whitehall for a rally, where it will be directly opposite the Unite The Kingdom festival.

SUTR’s march is set to be attended by numerous figures on the left of British politics, including several MPs and a number of trade union leaders.

The counterprotest’s organizers have dubbed Robinson’s event a “festival of hate.”

Policing

London’s Metropolitan Police have said barriers will be placed to keep a large “sterile area” between the two groups, with officers deployed there and in the surrounding area to “minimize the risk of disorder.”

There will be strict conditions on where and when campaigners can protest, the force added.

More than 1,600 officers will be deployed as part of the overall public order policing operation, including 500 brought in from other forces around Britain.

Commander Clair Haynes, who is in charge of the public order policing operation in London this weekend, said that police had been in close contact with the organizers of both marches and asked those taking part to be “considerate of the communities they are passing through.”

“Officers will take a firm line on behavior that is discriminatory or that crosses the line from protest into hate crime,” she added.

Robinson has called for attendees at his event to not wear masks, drink alcohol, or behave violently.

In a video on X, he said: “It’s not a time for riots. It’s not a time for violence. It’s a time where you come and you stand proudly for your country.”

He added: “This is an imperative message and an important message: We have to control ourselves.”