MPs question lack of action on hate speech at Tommy Robinson's anti-Muslim rally

“MPs question lack of action on hate speech at Tommy Robinson's anti-Muslim rally Submitted by Imran Mulla on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 13:38 Robinson was filmed saying 'it's time for many Muslims to leave this country' at the Unite the Kingdom rally on Saturday In Parliament Square, supporters of British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, let off flares beside the statue of Winston Churchill on 16 May (AFP) Off British Muslim civil society groups and politicians have criticised government ministers for not condemning anti-Muslim remarks made at the Unite the Kingdom rally over the weekend, and are calling on the Metropolitan Police to investigate some comments. An estimated 60,000 people attended the rally on Saturday in central London, organised by convicted criminal and far-right activist Tommy Robinson , whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. At the rally, speaking to a pro-Israel activist, Robinson was filmed saying he "would stop Islam" if he was in charge of the country. He called for "remigration" and said he would have the military remove migrants from hotels housing them. Robinson, who has multiple convictions for offences such as violence, fraud and contempt of court, added that "it's time for many Muslims to leave this country." On stage Robinson told the crowd to prepare for the "battle of Britain". 'Any government that fails to respond decisively to such rhetoric is failing in its basic duty to protect equal citizenship and public safety' - Ayoub Khan MP Another speaker, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, said on stage: "It is not too late to get Islam out of every single official office in this country... we have to remove Islam from every single place of authority." Keen-Minshull, who calls herself Posie Parker, is the leader of a small political party called the Party of Women. Independent MP Ayoub Khan told Middle East Eye: "This was not ‘controversial rhetoric’ or heated political debate. It was open anti-Muslim agitation broadcast from a public stage: calls to remove Islam from positions of authority, demands for Muslims to leave the country, and deliberate theatrical mockery of Muslims before a cheering crowd." Khan added: "Any government that fails to respond decisively to such rhetoric is failing in its basic duty to protect equal citizenship and public safety. "Ministers cannot claim to oppose extremism while remaining silent as an entire minority community is demonised in plain sight." 'Why is this rhetoric defended?' Police said 20 people were arrested at the march, including nine for alleged hate crimes, although these did not include speakers at the rally. The Muslim Council of Britain said Robinson's comments were "not political speech – they are incitement". The MCB added: "We ask a simple question of the authorities, political leaders, and broadcasters: why is this rhetoric tolerated and even defended when it comes to Muslims, when the equivalent, directed at any other group, would rightly be met with prosecution, condemnation, and unequivocal political consequence?" Arrests made as Tommy Robinson's far-right supporters rally in central London Read More » The MCB called on the Met Police to investigate the statements as "clear speeches inciting hatred". MEE has put this to the Met for comment. Ahead of the rally, the government had announced that 11 "foreign far-right agitators" had been barred from entering the UK, including Colombian-American anti-Muslim campaigner Valentina Gomez. Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised the march before it happened, saying: "I will not let the likes of Tommy Robinson use their hate to drag our country backwards." But the government has come under criticism for not condemning anti-Muslim remarks made at the rally. At a pro-Palestine Nakba Day march which happened at the same time in London, a person was arrested for holding a sign reading: "Globalise the intifada". Repeating the slogan at protests was recently made a criminal offence. Another person was arrested for holding a sign that read: “We will not surrender, victory or martyrdom.” Another was arrested for a sign showing support for the direct action group Palestine Action, which the government last year banned as a terrorist organisation, making it the legal equivalent of groups like the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. 'Dehumanising visibly Muslim women' At the Unite the Kingdom rally, three members of the French anti-Islam group Collectif Nemesis paraded on stage in burqas in an apparent attempt to mock Muslim women who wear the veil. Baroness Shaista Gohir, a peer and CEO of the Muslim Women's Network UK, said: "It was deliberate humiliation of Muslim women and a public display of anti-Muslim hostility aimed at dehumanising visibly Muslim women and reducing their religious dress to a source of ridicule and contempt." She added: "Such stunts have a direct and harmful impact on the safety and well-being of Muslim women." "We are... Alone agains the system that wants to destroy our Christian civilisation," said Alice Cordier, founder and leader of the French anti-migrant and Islamophobic group Collectif Nemesis. Self-identified Feminists and Identitarians, the group rejects migration into Europe pic.twitter.com/oCabnoGHZ9 — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 17, 2026 Iqbal Mohamed MP told MEE that the fact speakers at the Unite the Kingdom rally "were able to call for an exclusion of Muslims from public life, suggested that Muslims should leave this country, and openly mocked Muslim women's choice of dress with no immediate condemnation from the government tells you all you need to know about this government's stated commitment to combatting Islamophobia." Mohamed added: "Political leaders have a responsibility to not just speak out but take meaningful action clearly and consistently against all forms of hatred, including anti-Muslim bigotry." The Muslim Engagement and Development Initative (Mend), meanwhile, condemned what it called "incitement to religious hatred and violence towards Muslims". Mend added that it would make a formal request to the Metropolitan Police to see its legal assessment of why the rhetoric used was not deemed worthy of arrest. UK Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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