Starmer Condemns Far-Right London Protest, 26 Police Injured

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has firmly rejected the use of the Union flag as a symbol of violence, fear, and division following a massive far-right nationalist rally in London led by Tommy Robinson. The protest, which drew between 110,000 and 150,000 participants, saw violent clashes resulting in 26 police officers injured and 24 arrests. Starmer emphasized that while peaceful protest is a core value of Britain, the government will not tolerate assaults on police or intimidation based on race or background. He reaffirmed that Britain's flag represents a diverse and tolerant society and vowed never to surrender it to extremist groups exploiting it for division. The rally featured incendiary remarks from Elon Musk, who warned the crowd that "violence is coming" and called for a change in government. Government officials acknowledged the event highlighted deep societal divisions and stressed the importance of addressing underlying issues such as immigration to bring communities back together.