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"London Rises for Free Speech" is how organizer Tommy Robinson titled yesterday's massive event in London. Some news organizations were eager to put their own spin on it, but let's start here with James Woods's X feed.
James Woods: "England is fighting back."
Some of what you see is a counterprotest entitled "Stand Up to Racism," so called probably because one of the main issues of free speech in Britain is the lack of ability to discuss immigration policy and all its effects on the nation. There have been clashes between the two groups, though nothing sustained. Apparently the counterprotest morphed into a dance party which sounds like a smart thing to do.
This post from the Metropolitan Police shows the approximate areas of protest.
Metropolitan Police update via X.
"Unite the Kingdom" is the other name for the protest. Some among the enormous crowd engaged with the police. This is unfortunate and reprehensible. It also seems to be, as with the clashes with the counterprotest, the act of individuals and has nothing to do with the organized event.
The BBC report says the counterprotest was about 5,000 strong, which means more than 100,000 were there for Robinson's event. After perusing the feed, it appears no bit of the public is unrepresented. The BBC clearly blames one side for all associated violence, but with just nine arrests, it doesn't seem this was an ongoing concern throughout the day.
The feed from the entire day is here, including an address by Elon Musk via video transmission. There is a short tribute to Charlie Kirk toward the end. Take a look, decide for yourself the nature of the event.
We're well aware of things happening over there. I would just say to Britons that we support your efforts to take back free speech and ensure the security of your children.
Discussion (23)
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Sorry, the preview had the twitter links nice and embedded. I'll keep trying.
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This was a fun watch. First traffic was unable to cross using the Winchester Bridge because of overflowing rallyers. Then the cars gave up and rallyers started crossing on foot. An hour ago, the rally just extended across the length of the bridge to the other side. And some of the usual newsreaders announced that it was a Charlie Kirk rally, to raucous jeers. I doubt they have anything like a good count, they just settled on a number they think they can manage. We now know how many rallyers it takes before the UK police will stop trying to confiscate patriots' flags.
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We had marches yesterday in Australia as well, in the same vein but not completely coherent (yet) either:
I live in the inner city and saw Sydney's march as I walked through Hyde Park. A lot of police and more helicopters monitoring us than I've noticed before for anything that size - about 5,000 people.
(For context there's a pro Palestine demonstration every Sunday in Hyde Park and while there's a police presence and surveillance helicopters they've gotten used to it being consistently non-violent and calmed down.)
This follows "anti mass immigration" marches held on 31 August which ended up with violence in Melbourne (where they also somehow ended up platforming the National Socialist Network).
Curious that this is all happening at the same time.
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Felicitously scheduled, somehow, to coincide with the iconic Last Night of the Proms.
Tonight's concert opened with a new arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with Brian May and Roger Taylor; a set piece for soloists, the 150-voice choir and the 100-piece BBC Orchestra.
I skipped the middle bit, picking up at about 1:08:30, when the patriotic stuff started. I expect there will be the usual fuss about how many EU flags were waved in the audience (wish I had that concession). Bloody good fun, even though the lovely soprano singing Rule, Britannia looks as if she was wearing the tail section of a British Airways jumbo jet. (A few years ago, the lyrics were cancelled as a sop to both Black Lives Matter and the absurd Covid lockdown. No more.)
Nothing like it.
Edward Elgar, who wrote the music (Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1), is said to have loathed the words. But while the music took on a life of its own at academic graduations across the pond, it's probably the lyrics that kept it going in the UK.
It'll be a long road back. Baby steps.
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We'll have to ask the assassin about that. ;-)
For my part, I'll echo what others expressed at astonishment that Charlie Kirk's global reach seemed to be extensive. Seeing the Maori perform a Haka in his honor brought the tears back.
This event was going to happen anyway, but there were many images of people in the crowd carrying Kirk tributes.
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