Anti-fascist Mobilisation Counters Tommy Robinson Supporters in London

On August 24, a 250-strong anti-fascist mobilization in London outnumbered a demonstration by supporters of the jailed British far-right and anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, famously known as Tommy Robinson. The call for the anti-fascist mobilization was given by several activist groups, including the London Anti-Fascist Assembly, the Revolutionary Communist Group, the Green Anti-Capitalist Front, and Stand Up to Racism.

Robinson is currently serving a prison sentence for contempt of court for broadcasting and, according to the court, using “pejorative language in his broadcast which prejudged the outcome of the case” outside the Leeds Crown Court during a child grooming gang trial in 2018.

The Morning Star reported that on Saturday, a rally was called by supporters of Tommy Robinson, demanding his release from Belmarsh prison. The anti-fascist protesters staged a counter-protest at Oxford Circus.

In their statement, the Green Anti-Capitalist Front said, “In the past, the far-right ‘Free Tommy Robinson’ supporters have attacked any people of color they see on the streets, anyone they think may be ‘left’, and hurled Hitler salutes, all with the protection of the police. When they marched in Leeds, a mosque and a gurudwara were firebombed the next day in what was unlikely to be a coincidence.”

“We cannot allow these people to gain traction by allowing them to march on our streets. One of the groups we have marched against, Generation Identity, received funding from the Christchurch shooter and directly influence his ideas. We must remember the victims of Christchurch and El Paso and keep (these) people and ideas off our streets. ¡No pasarán!,” they added.

After the demonstration at Oxford Circus, the anti-fascist demonstrators also marched to the Polish embassy, in solidarity with Polish LGBT rights activists who were protesting there against the persecution of LGBT people and against attacks on pride marches in Poland.