A day after a far-right rally against immigration drew over 1,00,000 people to central London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday condemned assaults on police and said Britain was built on tolerance and diversity.
The “Unite the Kingdom” march, led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, turned unruly after a small group of supporters clashed with police officers who were trying to keep them apart from counterprotesters.
The police said 26 officers were injured, while it made an initial 25 arrests with more expected to follow. Metropolitan Police said several officers were punched, kicked, and struck by bottles thrown from the fringes of the rally.
Reinforcements equipped with helmets and riot shields were deployed to support more than 1,000 officers on duty.
Also Read | Who is Tommy Robinson? Far-right activist behind anti-immigration rally in UK
“People have a right to peaceful protest. It is core to our country’s values,” Starmer wrote on X on Sunday.
“But we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the colour of their skin.”
‘Britain proudly built on tolerance, diversity’
Starmer, on Sunday, emphasised that Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect.
Also Read | ‘Send them home’: What is behind far-right ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in London?
He also said that Britain will “never surrender” to far-right protesters who use the English flag as cover for violence and to instil fear.
“Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect. 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,” Starmer wrote on X.
What Elon Musk said at the rally
Tech billionaire Elon Musk also delivered a fiery message at a massive far-right rally in London, telling protesters they must “either fight back or you die”.
Musk appeared at the rally via video link and joined Robinson in conversation on stage. He claimed that the UK needs a “dissolution of parliament” and a “change of government,” and said “massive uncontrolled migration” was contributing to the “destruction of Britain”.
He also told the crowd that “violence is coming” and that “you either fight back or you die”. Moreover, the billionaire accused the political left of being “the party of murder and celebrating murder,” further inflaming tensions at the event.
