Columnist Condemns 'Unite the Kingdom' Rally After Violence in Westminster

Dan Hodges, in a column for the Daily Mail, described Saturday's "Unite the Kingdom" rally in Westminster as a "radical far-Right rally" and urged Britain’s political leadership to call it out after clashes left dozens injured.

The Metropolitan Police said 26 officers were injured at the event, four seriously, and issued a statement saying officers faced both verbal and physical abuse. "There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence," the force said.

Hodges's column contrasted the Westminster march with a quieter, undisturbed vigil in Parliament Square the previous day, which he said followed what his piece described as the killing of US commentator Charlie Kirk. Hodges wrote that Saturday's gathering had been organised by Tommy Robinson and featured speakers and interventions he characterised as divisive. He quoted Colombian-American politician Valentina Gomez as telling the crowd, "We need a new prime minister who has guts. Who will stand up for the British and send all of these rapist Muslims and dirty rugs back to their Sharia nations." The column said former Reform MEP Ben Habib appeared on stage and led chants directed at Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Hodges also reported that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk appeared on a large video screen and was quoted as saying: "Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die." Hodges linked that rhetoric to the later disorder and accused organisers and prominent participants of promoting anarchy rather than democratic engagement.

Attendance figures for the march were contested; Hodges wrote that at least 100,000 people were present. Metropolitan Police and other authorities have not publicly confirmed that number. The force's statement focused on the conduct of some attendees and on injuries to officers rather than on an overall head count.

Hodges criticised mainstream political leaders for what he termed a muted response. He wrote that, with "the honourable exception of Ed Davey," senior figures had been "cowed," and he said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had offered limited public condemnation. The column said Nigel Farage had called for clarification of Musk's remarks but stopped short of stronger rebuke.

The piece situated the rally in a broader debate about political discourse in the wake of the events Hodges described. He wrote that while legitimate concerns about immigration, crime statistics and social policy should not be caricatured or dismissed, allowing genuine extremists to enter the political mainstream without challenge was dangerous.

Organisers of the "Unite the Kingdom" event described the march as a protest about national identity and dissatisfaction with the political class. Participants included a mix of local activists and figures drawn from wider online and transnational networks. Independent reporting and official statements indicate that the day's events included both lawful protest and episodes of violence and public-order offences.

The Metropolitan Police said inquiries into the clashes were ongoing. It remained unclear on Monday whether organisers or individual speakers would face charges in relation to the disorder. Hodges concluded his column by urging those who support parliamentary democracy and the rule of law to "fight" with words and ideas rather than with violence.

The rally and its aftermath have prompted renewed discussion across politics and civil society about the boundaries of protest, the role of public figures in inflaming or calming tensions, and the responsibilities of political leaders when confronted with disruptive or extremist movements. Further statements and potential legal actions from authorities, organisers and those who attended the event are anticipated as investigations continue.