In a weekend that saw London’s streets swell with over 150,000 protesters, the city found itself at the center of a heated debate over free speech, social media influence, and the boundaries of political discourse. The spark? A surprise videolink address from tech billionaire Elon Musk at the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, which quickly drew condemnation from political leaders across the United Kingdom.
Musk, owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), addressed the crowd remotely, warning of “massive uncontrolled migration” and calling for a “change of government” in the UK. His remarks didn’t stop there. In a moment that sent shockwaves through Westminster and beyond, Musk declared, “Violence is coming. You either fight back or you die,” as reported by several outlets, including the BBC and The Guardian. The statements, delivered to a crowd already charged by the presence of far-right figures from across Europe and North America, ignited immediate controversy.
The rally, held over the weekend of September 13-14, 2025, was one of the largest far-right protests in recent UK history. While the event drew an estimated 150,000 participants, it also saw a counter-protest of about 5,000 people organized by Stand Up To Racism. The day was marred by violent clashes: objects were thrown between opposing groups, and the Metropolitan Police reported that 26 officers were injured and 24 protesters arrested while trying to keep the peace near Downing Street and along Westminster Bridge.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office wasted no time in responding to Musk’s comments. “The UK is a fair, tolerant and decent country, and so the last thing the British people want is dangerous and inflammatory language, which threatens violence and intimidation on our streets,” a spokesperson said Monday, as quoted by The Guardian. Starmer himself reinforced the message, stating, “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.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was equally forceful, condemning both the violence at the rally and Musk’s role in stoking tensions. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mahmood described Musk as a “hostile billionaire” who was “urging people to fight against Britain’s democracy.” She called the language used by Musk “abhorrent,” adding, “Those violent thugs will face the full force of the law, but those who turn to violence on Saturday do not represent who this country really is. When a foreign billionaire calls on our citizens to fight against our ancient democracy, I know this is met by the vast majority with a shake of the head.”
Scottish First Minister John Swinney also entered the fray, telling BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland that Musk was “a malign influence” on UK politics and describing his behavior as “reprehensible.” Swinney, who has more than 116,500 followers on X, revealed he was considering leaving the platform altogether. “I have thought about these issues before and in the light of the different events that have taken their course – and particularly the intervention of Elon Musk – I am thinking about it again,” Swinney said. However, he acknowledged the dilemma faced by politicians: “I don’t want to just leave the field barren for people like Elon Musk to dominate the communication with individuals across the country.”
The reach of Musk’s platform cannot be understated. Since acquiring X in 2022 for $44 billion (£38.1 billion), Musk has amassed a following of 226.1 million users on the platform, dwarfing the official Scottish government account’s 437,000 followers. The incident has reignited a broader debate about the role of social media in shaping public debate—and the responsibilities of those who own and control these powerful platforms.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, took a more lighthearted approach on September 15, posting a SpongeBob SquarePants meme on X to troll Musk. Yet, as BBC analysis noted, this moment highlights just how “very online” the nation’s political discourse has become. Even as some politicians consider stepping away from social media, most feel compelled to maintain an online presence to craft their public image and spread their messages. The days when internet campaigning was seen as a novel experiment are long gone; targeted digital advertising and viral posts are now central to modern politics, even as some, like Swinney, contemplate the costs.
The controversy over Musk’s intervention comes against a backdrop of previous clashes between the billionaire and UK political figures. Earlier in the year, Musk accused Prime Minister Starmer of failing to prosecute grooming gangs and called for the imprisonment of safeguarding minister Jess Phillips—a claim the Conservative Party itself criticized as “factually inaccurate.” Last year, Musk also drew ire for comments about the 2004 murder of Glasgow schoolboy Kriss Donald, leading then First Minister Humza Yousaf to label him a “dangerous race baiter.” Musk responded in kind, calling Yousaf a “racist scumbag” and claiming he “loathes” white people. Swinney previously described Musk’s behavior in that episode as “completely and utterly unacceptable.”
Tommy Robinson, the rally’s organizer, used the event to rail against what he described as the UK courts prioritizing the rights of undocumented migrants over those of the “local community.” He cited a recent Court of Appeal ruling that overturned an injunction stopping asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Essex. “They told the world that Somalians, Afghans, Pakistanis, all of them, their rights supersede yours—the British public, the people that built this nation,” Robinson told the crowd, as reported by The Guardian. His supporters later clashed with anti-racism protesters, throwing objects and fueling the day’s tense atmosphere.
As tensions simmer, the UK faces a familiar dilemma: how to balance the right to protest and free speech with the need to protect public order and uphold democratic values. The government’s response has been unequivocal in condemning both the violence and the rhetoric that fueled it. Yet, the episode has also exposed the complexities of modern political communication, where a single speech from a tech billionaire can ripple across an entire nation in seconds.
With next year’s general election looming, politicians of all stripes are grappling with the realities of the digital age—where old-school door-knocking campaigns coexist with meme warfare and global influencers can shape the national mood overnight. Whether or not John Swinney and others decide to leave X, one thing is clear: the battle over Britain’s political discourse is far from over, and the stakes have never felt higher.
