Last weekend, central London became the epicenter of a national debate about identity, belonging, and the boundaries of free speech as an estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people gathered for the Unite the Kingdom rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. According to BBC News, the turnout far exceeded police expectations, drawing supporters from across the country—including Suzanne and Sam Philpott, who traveled nearly 200 miles from South Wales to attend what they described as a "family festival" atmosphere.
For the Philpotts, it was their first protest. Suzanne explained to BBC News, "I thought it was really important. I didn't know it was a Unite the Kingdom rally. I thought it was a freedom of speech march. I think it's really important not just for us, but for future generations." Her husband Sam added, "I didn't go because Tommy Robinson was leading it. It just so happened that he did. I went because I could see from conversations with friends that this was going to be a big event and that people were standing up for being British."
Yet, for many, Robinson’s presence and the rally’s messaging were deeply troubling. The event, as described in The Independent, featured chants of “Enough is enough” and “Stop the invasion,” with the red and white of St George’s cross draped over shoulders and homemade placards demanding the deportation of “illegals.” The march was not only attended by Robinson but also saw video addresses from controversial figures such as Elon Musk, who warned of “massive uncontrolled migration” and the “destruction of Britain,” and French far-right politician Éric Zemmour, who invoked the specter of “the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture.”
The rhetoric, as The Independent noted, was eerily reminiscent of the language used by the National Front and British Movement of the 1970s. Back then, white supremacist groups openly attempted to stir racial hatred, with slogans like “Stop the muggers” and promises to “send back aliens.” Nick Lowles, founder of Hope not Hate, observed, “For a lot of Black and Asian people, they are starting to get scared in a way they haven’t done for many years. We are in a far more dangerous position now than we were in the late 1970s.”
Indeed, the days following the rally saw disturbing scenes circulate online: videos of brown British women being chased through London streets by people yelling “smack her,” and Black citizens being abused on trains. According to The Independent, these incidents highlighted the emboldening effect such rallies have on those harboring racist views, and the growing normalisation of rhetoric once considered beyond the pale.
While many marchers insisted they were not racist—some telling BBC News it was about “nationalism not colour” and that the rally was “full of families, mums and dads with their kids”—others demanded mass deportation and claimed their concerns were about jobs, housing, and the cost of living. Sam Philpott, reflecting a sentiment heard from others, said, “At the moment the working man is struggling because prices are through the roof, rent is through the roof. And what we see then is lots of people coming over and being put up in hotels. We should be funding and helping our people in poverty before we start helping others. I'm not saying we shouldn't help others but charity begins at home, you should be looking after our own first.”
But critics argue that such grievances are being manipulated by far-right leaders to scapegoat migrants and minorities, rather than address the real causes of economic hardship. As a statement from the Make Them Pay campaign, published in Left Foot Forward, put it: “Manipulating people’s anger about their struggles and fears for the future and legitimising abhorrent racism and fascist rhetoric, the aim of the likes of Robinson are to stoke up division, drive hatred through our streets, and make scapegoats of migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.”
Make Them Pay, a grassroots campaign, is mobilizing this weekend to demand the UK government tax the super-rich and polluters, and to refocus the national conversation on corporate greed and underinvestment in public services. “We know that the only minority driving harm are billionaires and the super-rich,” the group declared, calling for the economy to work for ordinary workers, not just the elite. Their demonstration follows the Stop Trump mobilizations earlier in the week, which drew diverse crowds in opposition to authoritarian politics and what they see as efforts to distract from economic inequality.
The tension between these competing narratives—one blaming outsiders for the nation’s woes, the other targeting systemic inequality—reflects a deeper divide. Sam Rowe, who attended the counter-protest organized by Stand Up To Racism, described to BBC News how he felt unsafe at the rally: “I was scared, it didn't feel safe at times. I heard some racist language as well at the rally being used and it does make me a bit more scared to kind of go out and be on the streets, despite the fact that I'm British and I was born here.”
Police reported that eight people were charged after disorder broke out during the protests, with 24 initially arrested for various offences. The counter-protest, originally misattributed to Hope Not Hate, was in fact organized by Stand Up To Racism, a correction noted by BBC News on September 20, 2025.
Observers warn that the normalization of far-right rhetoric is a sign of shifting boundaries in public discourse. “What was really extreme 20 years ago is now controversial at best, or simply accepted,” Nick Lowles told The Independent. The internet, he noted, has played a major role in amplifying and spreading these messages, making it easier for fringe groups to polarize communities and harder for facts to gain traction.
For some, the lesson is clear: the struggle against racism and division is ongoing, and it’s up to ordinary people to define the nation’s values. “It’s not somebody else’s job,” Lowles urged. “It’s about us.”
As the debate over Britishness and free speech rages on, the events of the past week serve as a stark reminder of the fragile line between legitimate protest and the legitimization of hate. The challenge for Britain now is to confront these tensions head-on, ensuring that the nation’s future is shaped by inclusion, not division.
