Starmer Vows Tolerance After Britain’s Largest Far-Right Rally Turns Violent

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday condemned violence and intimidation at a massive far-right protest in London, vowing Britain would not tolerate people feeling threatened “because of their background or the color of their skin.”

It was Starmer’s first response to Saturday’s rally led by activist Tommy Robinson, which police estimated drew up to 150,000 people — the largest far-right gathering in Britain’s history, according to the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate.

The demonstration descended into clashes as protesters attempted to breach police cordons near a counter-march organized by Stand Up to Racism. Officers were punched, kicked and pelted with bottles and flares. Twenty-six police were injured, four seriously, and 24 people were arrested, the Metropolitan Police said, warning that more arrests would follow.

“People have a right to peaceful protest. It is core to our country’s values,” Starmer said on X. “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 color of their skin.”

He added: “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 who use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.”

Among those addressing the rally were far-right figures from Europe and North America. Elon Musk, speaking by video, urged the dissolution of Parliament and warned of impending violence, declaring: “You either fight back or you die.”

Hope Not Hate described the event as unprecedented in scale, noting speeches that demanded the banning of non-Christian religions and called for “remigration” of legal migrants. “For anyone worried about the rise of far-right activism and the normalization of viciously anti-migrant, anti-Muslim sentiment, it could be a sign of dark times to come,” the charity said.