The Valley is shruded in a Heavy Drizzle and the Streets are Quiet on the Road to Ystalyfera.
IT’S A FAR CRY FROM The Noise and Cacophony of Central London’s Streets Last Saturday where Police Estimate BetWeen 110,000 and 150,000 People Gathered to Protest.
The Far-Right Activist Tommy Robinson Attracted Many More People than The Authorities Had Expected to HIS Kingdom Rally Last Weekend-Despite His Soveral Criminal Convictions and Reputation for Inflammatory Language.
But why did thusands of People Travel Miles to the Heart of the Westminster to March with a Man Reviled by Mainstream Politics – Carrying a Banner Calling for Remigration Now?
Research from the Think Tank British Future and More in Common Sugests Tommy Robinson’s Core Support Hasn’t Increas in More than a Decade – but he has become more visible, and with that he’s drawn in oters who are very discontent.
More than 700 People who Attended the March, and some who opposed to say on a counter-Protest, contacted your voice your bbc, with their views that day and why they were.
Suzanne Philpott from South Wales was one of the those who got in contactact.
SO we were to meet her and her husband sam, who has both traveled nearly 200 miles from their pub to the March.
Suzanne Said She’d Never Attended a Protest before but was compiled to go that make the freedom of speech.
She Told us at the atmosphere they have found had ben that of a family festival.
HER HUSBAND SAM ADDED: “I Didn’t Go Cecause Tommy Robinson was Leading it. It just so happened that deid. I was Becouse i could See from Conversations with Friends That Going to Be A Big Were standing up for Being british.”
I Asked Him if he was Comfortable About Going to A March Led by Tommy Robinson. Sam Replyed that the worrying thing should be that someone labelled a far -right thug is able to gather that many people in the Capital City – Because People are that upset.
Pushed Him on What Tommy Robinson Represents – For Many and A Racist with Dangerous Views.
Sam’s Answer is something something thought about.
“I think that some of the Things and Stands for, that is not self -standing for … he talks to the working class man in a way that that that is the government aren’t ablent to.
Suzanne has run this village pub, the flying pig, for the last seven years and she’s made many Changes like an gay night and encuraging more open discussions at the Bar About Sensive.
A Few of the Regulars Sit and Listne to Our Discussion. Suzanne tells with two Small Coaches of People Went Down to the Protest March from this – so why did she go?
“I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS A UNITE The Kingdom Rally. Thought it was a freedom of Speech March. I Think Important Not Just For Us, But for Future Generations.”
But Why did she feel that freedom of speech is under threat and in what Way?
“I Think IT’S Coming From All Different Parties. Think IT’S NOT JUST FROM FAR LEFT OR FAR RIGHT. I THINK IT’S FROM GRASSROTS Level of Teachers you have to use the right pronouns for Certain Genders. Flag.
During Our Conversation Sam Speaks Several Times About Being Proud of His Britishness – I Asked Him What That Meant To Him.
“Coming from a working class background i know that most men, my age, with a young family, all they want to be able to work and have Enough Money to feed and put over their family.
“At the moment the working man is struggling Because prices are through the roof, rent is through the roof. And what we have been tears of People coming Over Put up in hotels. Help Others but Charity Begins at Home, you should be looking after Our first. “
Hundreds of Others Contained the BBC, and Our team spoke to many from all over the uk who was to march and echoed some of what the philpotts say.
It was about nationalism not colour, said one from Dorset; The rally was full of families, mums and dads with their kids, said another from Kent.
One man said it was not a far-right march but a chance for normal british People who are unhappy with the direction of the Country.
A Woman from Portsmouth Told US Tommy Robinson was Saying the Right Things, and No One Was Listening Except Him.
A BRITISH MUSLIM MAN WHO EMAILED US, SAID MANY MIGANTS HAD ALREADY Experienced Civil Wars in Their Countries and that “Seeing this Hate Against My Children is Very Alarming”.
Police Say Eight People Have Been Charged AFTER BROKE OUT DURING The Protests and 24 Were arrested initially for a range of offenses.
Will the Rallies suggest a deepenting divide in our Society?
One Side Has Fears Over The Cost of Living, People’s Sense of Identity, and the Arrival of NewComers and How to Deal with saying.
On the other is a profound worry that tensions are being stoked with divisions language which has real-life consequeences.
Sam rowe who is of mixed breed heritage, was at the Smaller Counter-Protest and Contained US About what it was like for Him.
“I was scared, it didn’t feel Safe at Times,” he said.
He was to the counter protest gcause he said it was important to show that noterybody aggregated with the Views of the Kingdom March Leaders.
“I heard someone racist language as well at the rally being and it does make me a bit more scared to kind and be on the streets, despite the fact that i’m and was born here.
“But i Think It ‘Easy for us to say that the rally was full of People who are racist. Think that was very evident in the speceches they gave. “
These rallies have Attracted People Prepared to Overlook Tommy Robinson’s Extremism to Protest About Their Own Frustrations – Leaving Others Worlds Their in Our Society is Being Challenged.
From the voices we’ve heard, the idea of the Britishness and what it means is Becoming a BattleGround.
Additional Reporting: Sadaf Maruf
Correction 20 September 2025: An Earlier version of this article incorrectly stored the counter-Protest was organked by Hope Hate. It was organised by stand up to racism.
