Nigel Farage Labels East London Muslim Protesters 'Foreign Invading Army'

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has strongly criticized a masked Muslim protest in East London's Tower Hamlets, describing the group as a "foreign invading army" and calling the scene "one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen in my life." The protest involved men dressed in black, many wearing balaclavas sold in the area, chanting in Arabic and carrying Bangladesh and Palestine flags, and was held in response to a banned UK Independence Party march that aimed to "reclaim" the area. A speaker at the protest vowed to defend the community against what they described as a crusade targeting Islam, emphasizing a stance of readiness to protect elders, women, and the community. Farage condemned the protest as intimidation, accusing the demonstrators of promoting anti-Jewish sentiments and warning about the dangers of left-wing alliances with such groups. He also faced questions about a party member's comments on diversity in advertisements, which he criticized as poorly phrased but stopped short of calling racist. The event and Farage's remarks have stirred considerable controversy, highlighting tensions around community identity and political rhetoric in East London.