Supporters of far-right British figure rally as anti-racism demonstrators mount counter-protest

Thousands of supporters of jailed far-right activistic Tommy Robinson person marched done London arsenic anti-racism demonstrators mounted a adjacent antagonistic protest

LONDON -- Thousands of supporters of jailed far-right activistic Tommy Robinson marched done London connected Saturday arsenic anti-racism demonstrators mounted a adjacent counter-protest.

The alleged Unite nan Kingdom march — planned by Robinson and expected to characteristic him arsenic speaker — led to calls for his state aft his apprehension Friday connected a warrant for contempt of court.

“We want Tommy out," nan crowd of mostly achromatic men chanted. The oversea of marchers toted Union and England flags and immoderate waved “Make America Great” banners arsenic they gathered adjacent a fenced-off statute of erstwhile Prime Minister Winston Churchill successful nan quadrate other nan Houses of Parliament.

The march was countered by thousands of group organized by nan group Stand Up to Racism who held signs saying “Refugees welcome” and “Oppose Tommy Robinson.”

Robinson, 41, whose existent sanction is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is nan laminitis of nan nationalist and anti-Islamist English Defense League and remains 1 of nan astir influential far-right figures successful Britain.

He has been blamed for stirring up protests that turned into a week of convulsive disorder crossed England and Belfast, Northern Ireland this summertime aft societal media users falsely identified nan fishy successful a stabbing rampage that killed 3 young girls successful nan seaside organization of Southport arsenic an migrant and a Muslim.

Robinson supporters railed against nan jailing of hundreds of rioters who assaulted constabulary officers, group cars ablaze, screamed racist epithets and attacked hotels lodging asylum seekers.

Some participants wore “I americium Peter Lynch” badges and 1 man held a sportfishing rod pinch a motion reference “Peter Lynch RIP patriot." They were referring to a 61-year-old man who died successful situation aft pleading blameworthy for his domiciled arsenic portion of an angry mob that smashed windows astatine a edifice successful nan bluish municipality of Rotherham lodging migrants and injured dozens of riot police.

A abstracted march of respective 100 family members, friends and supporters of those who person died successful constabulary custody besides took place. Some of those activists seemed to echo nan anti-racism marchers by holding signs that said “No to hatred, nary to fascism.”

At slightest 5 group were arrested astatine nan main rallies, nan Metropolitan Police said.

Two were arrested connected suspicion of assault, including 1 allegedly connected a constabulary officer, astatine nan anti-racism march. One personification was arrested astatine nan Unite nan Kingdom march for a nationalist bid discourtesy and different connected suspicion of a racially aggravated nationalist bid offense. A 5th personification was arrested for allegedly directing a racist remark astatine an officer, but nan Met hadn't confirmed which protestation nan personification attended.

Robinson, who has been jailed successful nan past for assault, contempt of tribunal and owe fraud, faces a proceeding Monday successful a contempt-of-court proceeding for allegedly violating a 2021 High Court bid barring him from repeating libelous allegations against a Syrian exile who successfully sued him.

While Robinson was banned from Twitter successful 2018, he was allowed backmost aft Elon Musk took complete nan societal web and rebranded it X. He now has 1 cardinal followers.