Labour bans seven far-right figures from entering UK ahead of Tommy Robinson rally
Labour has banned seven “far-right agitators” from attending Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally this weekend.
Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, has barred the seven from entering the UK based on the view that their presence is “not conducive to the public good.”
All of them have been outspoken on immigration, race, or sexual issues, and the Home Office has canceled or refused their electronic travel authorizations, which allow them to come to Britain.
Some have previously attended far-right events in the UK.
Sir Keir Starmer revealed the crackdown in his reset speech on Monday, criticizing the Unite the Kingdom rally on Saturday, May 16, as being designed to “confront and intimidate this diverse city and this diverse country.”
“That is why this Labour Government will block far-right agitators from traveling to Britain for that event. Because we will not allow people to come to the UK and spread hate on our streets,” he said.
Among those who have been banned is the Spaniard Ada Lluch, a far-right Catalan influencer and activist, who has supported anti-woke and anti-Islam causes, and defended the country’s Franco dictatorship as a model preferable to democracy.
She attended Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally last year, where she warned that western nations had been “completely invaded and terror has already been unleashed.”
Ms Lluch was removed from Spanish TV in October after claiming that 91 percent of people arrested for theft in Barcelona were foreigners and after defending Donald Trump, the US president.
In an Instagram post, Ms Lluch said: “I think it’s pretty obvious that they are trying to sabotage [Robinson’s] rally and everyone attending his rally... we live under a tyranny.”
She is a former partner of Joey Mannarino, a far-right US commentator and political strategist, who is also one of the seven banned. Mr. Mannarino introduced Ms. Lluch to Mr. Trump, with whom she has been photographed.
Mr. Mannarino has attended previous rallies in the UK, including March for Remigration events organized last summer by Britain First, a far-right group.
Hope not Hate, a pressure group, said that Mr. Mannarino spoke in front of a giant picture of himself and Mr. Trump, and told the crowd to “scream something” for the US president.
In a tweet including the footage of the speech, Mr. Mannarino said: “We need to deport the parasites who are raping their way through America, Europe, and the United Kingdom.”
He has been accused of misogyny after claiming in a tweet about a sex case against Mr. Trump that he would “never believe a victim of rape again in my life no matter the verdict in court.” He added: “All rape cases have just become fake to me.” The US president was found liable for sexual abuse in the civil case.
Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch far-right commentator and activist, has also been barred from the UK since January, as her presence is not deemed “conducive to the public good.”
She also attended Robinson’s rally last year, telling the crowd: “They are demanding the sacrifice of our children on the altar of mass migration. Let’s not beat about the bush – this is the rape, replacement, and murder of our people. Remigration is possible, and it’s up to us to make it happen.”
In 2023, she expressed sympathy for Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes. After Chauvin was stabbed in prison, she called him a “victim of mass formation psychosis and mob rule” and said he was innocent of murder.
A fourth person banned from Britain is Valentina Gomez, a self-styled, anti-Muslim influencer who is also from the US.
She attended the first Unite the Kingdom rally with Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, in September, and warned from the stage that “rapist Muslims” were “taking over” the UK.
Robinson’s march coincides with a pro-Palestine Nakba Day march on May 16. Both events are being reviewed by the Metropolitan Police and could be banned because of the risk of “serious public disorder” following the Golders Green terror attack.
The Met will make any recommendation on a ban to Ms. Mahmood, who will make the final decision. If banned, it would downgrade one or both protests to “static” events to reduce the risk of disruption.
Technology & Business Editor
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