Photos from this weekend's far-right rally in London
- Text by Theo McInnes
- Photography by Theo McInnes
Central London came to a standstill this weekend, as far-right protestors took to the streets of the English capital. Incensed by the arrest and conviction of hate preacher Tommy Robinson (aka Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon aka Andrew McMaster aka Paul Harris) for contempt of court last month, his supporters are, as per usual, extremely angry.
Robinson, who is now serving a 13 month prison sentence, founded the English Defence League back in June 2009. The group is known for its Islamophobic rhetoric that has often turned violent, and the protest this weekend was no exception.
Hundreds of his far-right supporters congregated in and around Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon, donning Union Jacks and chanting nationalist slogans to express their discontent, both at multicultural Britain and at their leader’s arrest.
Robinson, 35, was sentenced on 29 May 2018, after broadcasting on social media about an ongoing trial at the court in Leeds.
The predominantly white and male crowd (who’d have thought it?) clashed with police officers in the hope of securing Robinson’s release from jail. Riot police blockaded an entrance to the Mall, while bottles, metal barriers and other objects were lobbed at police officers. There’s something a little bizarre, it has to be said, about a group of people who claim to care so deeply about “British values” taking to the street in an angry mob to protest a man being imprisoned for breaking British laws.
Photographer Theo McInnes headed down to document the rally.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As salmon farming booms, Icelanders size up an existential threat
Seyðisfjörður — The industry has seen huge growth in recent years, with millions of fish being farmed in the Atlantic Ocean. But who benefits from its commercial success, and what does it mean for the ocean? Phil Young ventures to the remote country to find out.
Written by: Phil Young
Activists hack London billboards to call out big tech harm
Tax Big Tech: With UK youth mental health services under strain, guerrilla billboards across the capital accuse social media companies of profiting from a growing crisis.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: The boys of the Bibby Stockholm
Bibby Boys — A new exhibition by Theo McInnes and Thomas Ralph documents the men who lived on the three-story barge in Dorset, giving them the chance to control their own narrative.
Written by: Thomas Ralph
‘We’re going to stop you’: House Against Hate tap Ben UFO, Greentea Peng and Shygirl for anti-far right protest
R3 Soundsystem — It takes place on March 28 in London’s Trafalgar Square, with a huge line-up of DJs, artists and crews named on the line-up.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: Lebanon’s women against a backdrop of war
Where Do I Go? لوين روح — As war breaks out in the Middle East once again, we spotlight Rania Matar’s powerful new photobook, which empowers women of her home country through portraiture.
Written by: Miss Rosen
