A massive crowd of British patriots gathered in London on Saturday for Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom (UTK) march. However, several international figures who had planned to attend and speak at the event were absent after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government banned them from entering the country.
The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers and admitted it would use facial recognition technology on the crowd. They estimated that 60,000 people attended Saturday’s UTK march, though Robinson insisted attendance was in the “millions.”
Hours ahead of the march, Starmer released a video statement condemning the UTK movement, accusing its organizers of “peddling hatred and division.” He announced his government had blocked “far-right agitators” who planned to attend the event from entering the country.
Journalist Dan Wootton called Starmer’s video “a despicable and disgusting attack on British patriots.”
Wootton stated: “He was wanting to stoke violence. And hundreds of thousands of proud Englishmen and women proved him wrong. All this Labour government has left now is going after an invisible ‘far right.’”
A press release from the prime minister’s office stated that 11 foreigners were prevented from entering the country “to spew their extremist views.” The government did not name every individual denied entry but cited U.S.-based extremist Valentina Gomez for her “inflammatory and dehumanising rhetoric about Muslim communities.”
Gomez blamed the ban on “corrupt politicians” and criticized Starmer for using facial recognition technology against rally attendees but not against “muslim rape gangs and violent palestine protests.” A pro-Palestine and anti-Robinson rally was held in London the same day.
American political commentator Don Keith, who had been banned from entering the U.K., wrote on social media: “I have no idea why I was banned from the UK other than my friendship with Tommy Robinson and opposition to Keir Starmer’s policies.”
Wootton noted that Keith was scheduled to co-host his podcast, “Outspoken,” which covered the march live. Wootton added: “This is North Korean stuff. The media class seems to think this is completely acceptable.” He also stated: “I am disgusted about what’s happening to our country when all we are trying to do is stop an Islamist takeover.”
Joey Mannarino, an American citizen and host on NewsForce, responded to Starmer’s statements and travel bans: “I’m one of the people you banned. I went to school in the UK and love your country. I love the people of your country. The British ones. Not the ones your lot caters to. You’re truly a disgrace to the beautiful nation which you ‘represent.’”
Others banned ahead of the march included journalists Ezra Levant and Avi Yemini, politicians Dominik Tarczyński and Filip Dewinter, and political commentators Eva Vlaardingerbroek and Ada Lluch.
The individuals were notified their presence “is not considered to be conducive to the public good.”
Connor Tomlinson, a London-based political commentator, told reporters: “It’s good to know that Britain can enforce its borders and stop people from coming to our country, after consecutive years where legal migration ran above a million. Unfortunately, Keir Starmer only wants to block foreigners warning against the replacement, rape, and murder of the British people from entering, rather than the perpetrators of such crimes.”
Tomlinson called Starmer “Britain’s most hated prime minister on record.” He added: “This rally seemed more sparsely attended, likely due to divisions in the nationalist base over whether Britain should be involved in the Iran war. But if it plays a role in expediting the destruction of the Labour Party, then it was worthwhile.”
