Reform UK held an event in Croydon, which is in south London, not long after around 500,000 people had marched streets in the capital as part of an anti-far-right protest
Nigel Farage’s attempt to rally support at Reform UK’s event in South London was quickly derailed – hours after a huge anti-far-right demonstration in the centre of the capital city.
During the rally in Croydon on Saturday (March 28) evening, two protestors interrupted the party leader’s speech, chanting, “Reform is not welcome here.” The protestors were part of the Green New Deal Rising (GNDR) youth movement, which aims to challenge the right-wing party’s influence ahead of the upcoming local elections in May.
Alex, 30, and Kay, 23, who disrupted the event, claimed Reform policies would make people’s life harder. Alex said: “Nigel Farage claims to be on the side of working young people like me – but that is so far from the truth.”
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He went on: “I am the son of a brick layer and teaching assistant, and Nigel’s politics will do nothing but stamp on working class families like mine, while they line the pockets of his billionaire backers. Reform have consistently voted against workers rights, and their inhumane plans to deport our neighbours won’t improve the outlook for the next generation
“We’re facing an unstable jobs market, sky high cost of living and an accelerating climate crisis. Nothing Reform says comes close to scratching the surface of our problems, let alone actual ‘reform’. In fact, their hateful politics will make it worse and do nothing but divide us.”
GNDR has regularly been vocal in its opposition to Farage’s party and launched a new online tool called My Election Map. The initiative allows users to enter their postcode and find nearby campaign events aimed at electing progressive candidates who can defeat Reform UK in the upcoming elections. Since its launch, over 23,000 people have used the tool to get involved.
The tense moment at the rally came as 500,000 people, including celebrities, took to the streets of London as part of a Together Alliance event in a stance against the “politics of division”. The protest was in response to Tommy Robinson’s “Unite The Kingdom” rally in the same city last September, where an estimated 110,000 people marched chanting racist and anti-immigrant slogans.
It began with a march from Park Lane, before attendees gathered at stages in Whitehall, outside Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square for speeches and live music. Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the coalition, told the crowds: “Our estimate is now that there are half a million people on this demonstration – the biggest demonstration ever against the far right. And it gives us all confidence to carry on. Thank you very much.”
Together Alliance is an anti-discrimination group made up of hundreds of organisations, including trade unionist, faith leaders, musicians and community groups. The organisation said people showed up to the rally “in response to rising concern at the hate and division in communities being sown by the far right”.
They added that the event was also supported by Sir Lenny Henry, Christopher Eccleston, Paloma Faith, former footballer Shaka Hislop and many others. Musician and activist Billy Bragg, who attended the march, said: “Like a blaring horn that never switches off, Donald Trump is a constant reminder of the cruel realities of the politics of division. We’re coming together on Saturday to encourage our fellow citizens to take a stand against his kind of politics being imported into the UK.”
Together Alliance co-organiser Sabby Dhalu said earlier that the massive crowds gathering “intimidated” far right groups. She explained: “We’re confident that the size of our mobilisation here today has actually intimidated the far-right, and I think they feel that they are not confident enough to stand against us because they know that we’re going to be out in big numbers.”
