U.K. bishops ‘gravely concerned’ by far-right ‘Christmas’ rally

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson speaks during a rally in Parliament Square in London, Friday, March 29, 2019. (AP Photo/ Frank Augstein, File)

U.K. bishops said they were “gravely concerned” about the use of Christian symbols to “justify racism and anti-migrant rhetoric” ahead of a gathering in central London on Saturday planned by far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson.

Robinson has billed the rally as a Christmas “religious celebration”.

“Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable, and we are gravely concerned about the use of Christian symbols and rhetoric to apparently justify racism and anti-migrant rhetoric,” the bishops of the Southwark Diocese, which covers much of south London, said in a statement.

“We are proud of our nation and our communities -- and we know that we are better than this,” they added.

Robinson, a highly contentious figure who boasts a significant online following alongside a string of criminal convictions, in September drew around 150,000 people onto London’s streets for one of the country’s largest far-right protests ever.

A televised address to that rally by tech billionaire Elon Musk was condemned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office for what it called “dangerous and inflammatory language”.

Writing on X, Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, urged anyone attending Saturday’s rally to “honour our faith, our culture, and our heritage in the very best way we can”.

The former football hooligan, who founded the anti-immigrant English Defence League in 2009, has become a focal point for Britain’s growing anti-immigrant far right.

He has multiple convictions, including for mortgage fraud, public order and contempt of court, dating back decades.

The 43-year-old was released from jail in May after spending seven months in prison for breaching a court order. During his time behind bars, he reportedly developed an interest in Christianity.

Critics have dismissed this as a “strategic rebranding” aimed at boosting his appeal among the mainstream, according to Searchlight magazine, which describes its mission as opposing fascism, antisemitism and racism.

Robinson has also been blamed for helping to fuel anti-migrant riots that rocked the country in 2024, which he denies.

The new rally comes amid growing anti-immigration sentiment, at a time when Brexit supporter Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform U.K. party leads in polls and protesters have targeted hotels used to house asylum seekers.