Seven individuals planning to attend a far-right rally in central London on Saturday have been barred from entering the United Kingdom by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The rally, organized by Tommy Robinson—whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon—is set to take place on May 16.
Government Action Against Extremism
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that the government would block "far-right agitators" from attending the Unite the Kingdom event. In a speech aimed at resetting his premiership, Starmer stated, "This is nothing less than a battle for the soul of our nation." He emphasized that extremists would be prevented from entering Britain to speak at the nationalist march.
Among those barred are Joey Mannarino, a US-based commentator, and Valentina Gomez, a Maga influencer. Their authorization to enter the UK was withdrawn on the grounds that their presence "would not be conducive to the public good." The identities of the other five banned individuals remain undisclosed.
Background of the Banned Individuals
Mannarino has faced accusations of misogyny after publicly declaring he would never believe a rape allegation regardless of a court verdict. He previously spoke at Britain First's March for Remigration events in Birmingham and Manchester last summer. Gomez, 26, attended the first Unite the Kingdom rally in September last year alongside Robinson, where she warned from the stage that "rapist Muslims" were "taking over" the UK.
Both Mannarino and Gomez had been granted permission to enter the UK for Saturday's rally via an electronic travel authorization, but the Home Office intervened to revoke this approval.
Context of the Rally
Last year's Unite the Kingdom rally drew an estimated 100,000 attendees, making it the largest far-right event of its kind in British history. The event was addressed remotely by Elon Musk, who faced condemnation from Downing Street for using "dangerous and inflammatory" language.
The far-right march coincides with a Nakba Day event marking the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the establishment of Israel. Both events are under review by the Metropolitan Police amid claims of a "risk of public disorder" following the Golders Green attacks.
Police and Government Response
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has expressed "concern" about the scale of the protests and stated that his officers are "looking hard at what conditions and powers we should use." A spokesperson for the prime minister noted that decisions on the events are a matter for the police, adding, "Those who threaten our communities and spread racism have no place on the streets of the UK. Where individuals pose a threat or seek to spread extremism, the government won't hesitate to deny entry."
