Unite the Kingdom and Pro Palestine marches Cup 16th May 2026

^Hate preachers welcome'?
Says upthread, seven of them were refused entry.
So, not all welcome, it would seem.^

I read this as saying that seven Hate Preachers were refused entry but could not find it. Or does this refer to the 'Far Right', eleven of whom have been banned?

eazybee

I find it shameful that people object to the display of the Union flag, St.George's Cross, the Saltire and the Welsh Dragon. They are the flags of Britain, and are not displayed or venerated nearly enough.
Sad that it takes Tommy Robinson/Yaxley -Lennon to utilise them for his own purpose.

Nobody finds flying the flags shameful! What they find shameful is the reason they are being flown by these particular people. They've made no pretence about their values, so there's no point denying the purpose of their flag waving.

AGAA4

I am concerned about Yaxley - Lennon who has already started using language which will incite violence.
Telling people that Starmer is the enemy and descend on London is not inspiring a peaceful protest.
I hope this doesn't end up in a brawl but isn't that what Yaxley-Lennon supporters come for.

Just watching footage and can see a banner proclaiming”From the River to the Sea”. That is inciting racial hatred and should be removed but of course we know it won’t be.

In the crowd of many thousands are housewives, mothers, businessmen, people from all ethnicities, people of all ages, farmers, people on the dole, flags and banners from all over the UK, people who just feel they are not being listened to and want to demonstrate their dissatisfaction. A very wide cross section of people and by no means all supporters of Tommy Robinson.

Maremia

Police will be using face recognition technology, and organisers may be held responsible for any speakers who spout hate.

Apparently it’s only going to be used at the Unite protest…make of that what you will.

TheatreLover

Union Jacks and St George's Cross flags installed already at Russell Square entrance. A park that is an emblem of inclusiveness, anyone can spend time there, has been hijacked by people who represent anything but inclusivity. People are swathed in either the Union Jack, St George's Cross flag, the Welsh Dragon flag and the Saltire. I am very old. I never ever thought I would live to see such divisiveness and xenophobia in this beautiful country of ours . I feel really sorry for the popular and busy park cafe who has been advised to close for the day, thus losing a day's business.

I prefer to see our national flags than the Palestinian one, but each to their own.

Since the Met say they can police all that’s going on today, let’s hope they really can do.

Oreo

TheatreLover

Union Jacks and St George's Cross flags installed already at Russell Square entrance. A park that is an emblem of inclusiveness, anyone can spend time there, has been hijacked by people who represent anything but inclusivity. People are swathed in either the Union Jack, St George's Cross flag, the Welsh Dragon flag and the Saltire. I am very old. I never ever thought I would live to see such divisiveness and xenophobia in this beautiful country of ours . I feel really sorry for the popular and busy park cafe who has been advised to close for the day, thus losing a day's business.

I prefer to see our national flags than the Palestinian one, but each to their own.

I like to see the union flags flown. The Welsh dragon is probably my favourite. The Union Jack is meant to be a symbol of inclusiveness. Today's march is not about inclusiveness though is it? It's about just the opposite. I agree with easybee that's it's sad that that Tommy Robinson/Yaxley-Lennon and his ilk have appropriated the Union flags for their own purpose.

TheatreLover

Oreo

TheatreLover

Union Jacks and St George's Cross flags installed already at Russell Square entrance. A park that is an emblem of inclusiveness, anyone can spend time there, has been hijacked by people who represent anything but inclusivity. People are swathed in either the Union Jack, St George's Cross flag, the Welsh Dragon flag and the Saltire. I am very old. I never ever thought I would live to see such divisiveness and xenophobia in this beautiful country of ours . I feel really sorry for the popular and busy park cafe who has been advised to close for the day, thus losing a day's business.

I prefer to see our national flags than the Palestinian one, but each to their own.

I like to see the union flags flown. The Welsh dragon is probably my favourite. The Union Jack is meant to be a symbol of inclusiveness. Today's march is not about inclusiveness though is it? It's about just the opposite. I agree with easybee that's it's sad that that Tommy Robinson/Yaxley-Lennon and his ilk have appropriated the Union flags for their own purpose.

Exactly! Everybody on the Unite the Kingdom march must know that Tommy Robinson is behind it. I can't imagine anybody would actually bother to go on the march unless they shared his values. Everybody knows what those flags mean today - even though they do mean something else if there's an international sports match or a jubilee. The meaning of flags isn't static and I wish people would stop acting all innocent and pretending that flags always mean the same.

“twaddle

eazybee
I find it shameful that people object to the display of the Union flag, St.George's Cross, the Saltire and the Welsh Dragon. They are the flags of Britain, and are not displayed or venerated nearly enough.
Sad that it takes Tommy Robinson/Yaxley -Lennon to utilise them for his own purpose.
Nobody finds flying the flags shameful! What they find shameful is the reason they are being flown by these particular people. They've made no pretence about their values, so there's no point denying the purpose of their flag waving”

What shameful is certain far right groups hijacking our flags are using them to intimidate people with different colour skin!

I’d like to see the Union flag flown in all official buildings across building in the UK, alongside the George Cross in England.

Oreo

Since the Met say they can police all that’s going on today, let’s hope they really can do.

Me too!

I suspect the nationalists in the other countries of the UK might object to that too Cossy, preferring just their own national flag. It’s such a divisive issue, and there is no compromise which would please the whole population of the UK.

Casdon

I suspect the nationalists in the other countries of the UK might object to that too Cossy, preferring just their own national flag. It’s such a divisive issue, and there is no compromise which would please the whole population of the UK.

Watching live streaming there's a fair few flags from Scotland and Wales being flown. It's the UK, not England.

I've not seen much but there's an awful lot of people there.

I don't think that all of them are fans of Tommy at all. There seems to be all ages and nationalities.

I wouldn't vote Reform myself but there's a lot of people who feel let down, hence this march . We shouldn't just brand people as far right. In fact that's been part of Keir's problem. Demonising people hasn't worked well for Mr. Starmer

That demonstrates what I mean though REKA, when even on a far right march, people from the other nations don’t drape themselves in the Union Jack. I’m not supporting this in any way, but it’s a reality that the Union Jack is not viewed as favourably in Scotland or Wales as it is in England. People who want independence are not happy for the Union Jack to be displayed at all..we are a divided country, whether we like it or not.

I believe only our nation’s flags should be flown in this country. The Palestinian flag has no place on our official buildings
Twaddle please stop lecturing, we are not naive to be proud of our St George’s cross flag just because you think we should be. Stop labelling us all as racist. We are as proud to be English as the Scots and Welsh are of their countries.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Apparently, today's 'Palestine ' march is to commemorate 78 years since the Nabka.

REKA

Casdon

I suspect the nationalists in the other countries of the UK might object to that too Cossy, preferring just their own national flag. It’s such a divisive issue, and there is no compromise which would please the whole population of the UK.

Watching live streaming there's a fair few flags from Scotland and Wales being flown. It's the UK, not England.

I've not seen much but there's an awful lot of people there.

I don't think that all of them are fans of Tommy at all. There seems to be all ages and nationalities.

I wouldn't vote Reform myself but there's a lot of people who feel let down, hence this march . We shouldn't just brand people as far right. In fact that's been part of Keir's problem. Demonising people hasn't worked well for Mr. Starmer

If they're not fans of Tommy Robinson, why do they go to the trouble to support a march which they must know he organised?

Is Yaxley-Lennon innocent of 'demonising' people?

People waving foreign flags - not a problem, carry on. People waving the flag of our own country? Branded far-right extremists.

It’s very sad FriedGreenTomaties2

Any one slightly right of centre and in possession of a UK flag, particularly the English or Union flag, is now a far right extremist.

Well, yes, but as far right has been rendered absolutely meaningless, I am not sure where that leaves us.

GrannyGravy13

It’s very sad FriedGreenTomaties2

Any one slightly right of centre and in possession of a UK flag, particularly the English or Union flag, is now a far right extremist.

As I said above, nationalists, who are left wing, wave the national flags of Scotland and Wales too. It’s not solely a right wing phenomenon, a flag is a too easy slogan to adopt to try to get people to support your cause, whatever that is.

why have people not realised he is a fake. Why does nobody question who he is and where he lives?

GrannyGravy13

It’s very sad FriedGreenTomaties2

Any one slightly right of centre and in possession of a UK flag, particularly the English or Union flag, is now a far right extremist.

What I find very sad is that the reason I love my country (UK) is that it is supposed to be tolerant, inclusive and welcoming of free speech. Unfortunately, given the number of people who have attempted to gaslight those who don't like all the flag-waving and are intolerant of opposing views, it would appear that the reason I love my country is not true.

Everybody knows what those flags mean today
No, you are wrong about this twaddle.

Believe what you like but not everybody thinks that at all. Just because some right-wing extremists think they can claim the flag as theirs does not make it so.

Do other countries have this problem?

Is it only some British people who wear hair shirts and feel unwarranted guilt when they see a Union flag or those of other countries of the UK flying?
Strange that the same people are happy to see a Palestinian flag carried through the streets of London.

The flags do not belong to Yaxley-Lennon and the far right.
They belong to us all.