Tommy Robinson inspired thousands of people to come out and protest this afternoon… but mainly against him.

He was the frontman of a march put on by the Brexit Betrayal Group, calling on the government to actually take us out of the EU.

A Momentum spokeswoman said about 15,000 turned up to oppose Robinson’s march, claiming they were ‘vastly’ more than crowds for the original demo.

That awkward moment when you lead a march but get outnumbered 5 to 1 by people who hate you.


In the Robinson camp (Picture: PA)

Aaaand those opposing him (Picture: SIPA USA/PA)

EDL founder Robinson and Ukip members marched with supporters through the streets of London on Sunday before a rally beside Parliament Square.



Amid fears of violence, Scotland Yard placed restrictions on the march as well as on a counter-demonstration organised by Labour supporters and anti-fascists.

Among those marching against the Brexit betrayal group were Labour grassroots group Momentum and Unite Against Fascism.

A Ukip spokesman said ‘quite a few thousand’ had turned up to its rally. Police did not provide estimates on crowd sizes.

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They outnumber Robinson ‘5 to 1’ (Picture: SIPA USA)

Momentum national co-ordinator Laura Parker said: ‘Today is a huge blow for Tommy Robinson and his vile, hate-fuelled politics.

‘Even with the Ukip machine in tow he only managed to bring a few thousand supporters out on the streets while we mobilised nearly 15,000 to march against his racism and bigotry.’

Robinson’s supporters gathered to call for Brexit, with one brandishing a noose he said was for Prime Minister Theresa May.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell had urged Labour supporters to march against the ‘poison’ of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

Anti-fascist protesters holding banners saying ‘No to Tommy Robinson’ (Picture: Getty)

A Momentum spokeswoman said about 15,000 turned up to oppose Mr Robinson’s march (Picture: PA)

‘This march isn’t about Brexit, it’s about far-right extremists dressing up in suits and pretending to be respectable,’ Mr McDonnell said.

Along the route, the counter-protest included songs and dancing, arriving at their final stop on Whitehall to the sound of Michael Jackson’s hit Black Or White.

As the demonstrators made their way from Portland Place, they held placards saying: ‘Oppose Tommy Robinson. Don’t let the racists divide us’ and chanted ‘There are many many more of us than you’.

EDL founder Tommy Robinson has his sights on Ukip (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Marchers with their faces covered briefly made their way to the front of the march, and at a few points a handful of Robinson supporters were escorted away swiftly by police.

The protesters chanted the whole way, shouting ‘Nazi scum, off our streets’.

Police were on heightened alert after ‘serious violence’ broke out at a Robinson rally in London in June, with five officers injured when bottles and barriers were hurled at them.

Scotland Yard said it also imposed the conditions based on the ‘current intelligence picture’.

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