AIBU to compare pro-Palestine and Tommy Robinson-led protests? Both involve hatred antisemitism or racism and both end up in trouble. Two cheeks of the same ass as I've heard on here before!

[HeyHoHenryHippy]

Pro-Palestine and Tommy Robinson-led protests this Saturday with yet again thousands of officers having to spend the day controling these protests. Surely there is a better way. Static protest or once a month for Gaza? I think Tommy's lot isn't weekly like the Gaza lot.

Antisemitism is a major problem and general racism also up. Armoured vehicles are needed now with the first time in 15 years to use them. Terror incidents have risen yet what have either of these 'protests' achieved apart from further divisions!

Stick them in separate areas and tell them to stand with their various placards and keep them there. They ave their virtue signalling and hate fuelled moments but stop annoying the rest of us and keep the costs down - it's costing millions of pounds.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15816041/Met-Police-call-armoured-cars-London-braces-day-pro-Palestine-Tommy-Robinson-led-protests.html

That's a lot of hate

But you do realise that Jewish people, immigrants, non-white people will be on the march too? . I think the "free Iran" protesters are planning to join UTK this weekend, although I imagine quite a lot of of them were there last time, in a not official capacity so to speak.

you probably do know all this. I just think you're massively over estimating the amount of hate there is on the UTK.

We do have a few actual white supremacists in the UK who would probably kill me for the colour of my skin. I really hope it's a few, anyway.

From what I can tell, they hate Tommy Robinson. They would not go on a march led by him.

i'm just asking because there do seem to be some people working on a strange idea about all this. 20 years ago, when I still watched mainstream media, they would tell me that Tommy Robinson was a racist.

And then I'd see them marching around London in T-shirts saying "black-and-white unite" and with people of varying ethnic origin joining them.

I have issues with Tommy Robinson. I think there's also some echoes of J. K. Rowling in terms of all the misrepresentation.

This is particularly odd in an age when it's so easy to check what the person has actually said themselves.

How can you just believe a random influencer claiming something on YouTube? 😵‍💫

Of course it is but not by the UK, whereas Israel is our ally. Therefore if British citizens want to protest to put pressure on the UK government to apply diplomatic pressure on Israel in response to the slaughter in Gaza, then that's what protest is for in a democracy.

If Hamas was our ally, rather than an outlawed terrorist group, then I'd sure as shit be protesting about that!

That said, the idea that protests could be static rather than marches has a lot of merit and absolutely calls to violence (including the phrase "Globalise the intifada" which has become synonymous with violence whatever it was originally coined to mean) should not be tolerated.

@HeyHoHenryHippy finally I would say in relative numbers, the pro-Palestine protests have a much higher rate of violence and arrests. Substantially higher.

22 arrests I think from UTK last year. The Metropolitan police estimated about 100,000 people. Journalist said likely more. It looked like more from the aerial shots.

This is a nonsense statement. Unless you've been on both marches and interviewed everyone there, how could you possibly know?

i don't know. Perhaps people who feel strongly on that issue could organise marches. But I regularly see the Palestine ones and 'No to Hamas, No to Netanyahu' on placards

Are you implying there are influencers on MN?

The type that post via annonymous usernames and don't show their faces, or their bodies? Hmm ...

Yes I do realise that there is prejudice from asian, black and jewish people to that is why mentioned assimilation and who has ever annoyed them on that day and some of my family went on the march (asian)

Its fuelled by anger towards others they see are not like them, hatred and prejudice

the supporting Gaza marches are not, but there is certainly an element oft this on the marches (have been on the marches myself)

I’m more concerned that taxpayers spend £55m on policing football matches every year, and that doesn’t include what is spent after matches picking up the tab for poor behaviour, particularly the rise in domestic abuse that happens afterwards.

The reason for the heavy police presence is the understanding is, many of those attending the FA cup final will be pissed up and heading for the Yaxley-Lennon March after the game. Looking at the history of both groups protesting, it’s clear which group are more likely to cause violence.

Many Jewish people have attended pro-Palestine marches. Are they anti-Semitic too?

@HRTQueen do you know what's funny?

I'm a hugely pessimistic person.

And even I don't think that people stir their stumps to even bother to go on a march that they know will be massive, with all the hassle that entails, just because they have so much hate in their heart.

They come from all over the country when they could just sit at home or in the pub, ranting about the people they hate.

I don't think hate is the motivating factor - but I do respect your right to think that.

Namaste.

YANBU @HeyHoHenryHippy they are two cheeks of the same arse.

A move to static protests would help with the issue of ethnic minorities feeling unsafe in the UK.

@Twiglets1 as an ethnic minority woman, there are things going on in the UK at the moment that make me feel unsafe.

The UTK march is not one of them.

Many Jewish people have attended pro-Palestine marches. Are they anti-Semitic too?

Why is this question or a version of it always asked about Jewish people, never about black people supporting Tommy Robinson?

Good for you but you don't speak for all ethnic minorities.

For all I know you are nowhere near the march or are not an ethnicity that has been affected.

Why not just call out pro Palestine marches out for what they are. Pro terrorist.

Aside from that, there is 0 reason to be having a pro Palestine march in this country other than to have an opinion. Or do people think the Israeli’s sit there and think “well, they’ve had a March in London, the English are furious. We ought to stop.”? It’s just virtue signalling with thuggery and violence built in for good measure.

And the reality is that most of these protesters don’t even care what it is they’re protesting about. They’re just professional thugs out for a ruck, fighting in the pubs on a Saturday night, out at the football matches in the season, gluing themselves to motorways in the name of “stop oil” or whatever other cause is running that campaign this week, and we’re probably all paying their benefits.

Same with the Tommy Robinson thugs. Except they genuinely are racists.

And let’s not pretend that anyone who attends a Tommy Robinson march does so because they want a peaceful protest. Everyone knows what he stands for. So if you’re there, then you’re one of them. If you don’t want to be seen as such then don’t be seen in the name of Tommy Robinson.

I posted some hate ... hate and prejudice are what drives those marches its not a nice get together to celebrate being British

Should we discuss that protesters are often paid by the Muslim brotherhood as are the useless flotillas , the same Muslim brotherhood linked to Hamas and banned in most Arab countries due to their terrorist links ? Or is that not convenient to discuss ?

@Twiglets1 agree, I don't represent everyone

@HRTQueen would you consider watching the Trevor Phillips video I linked?

I really hope it's all right this time. With the football on as well, the police really have got their work cut out for them.

No need to give up. If watching an interview on YT is beyond you here is a link to the news channel saying much the same,

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/netanyahu-admits-using-social-media-to-influence-us-amid-gaza-crisis/ar-AA1NrXKH

Many Jews? I doubt that. No Jewish person I know has ever joined a pro Palestinian march but Jews are not a homogeneous group and are free to protest whoever they like. The costs of the pro Palestinian marches in London are met by taxpayers. The organisers (mainly the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign) do not pay anything towards the policing of them. Since 7 October 2023 and up to three months ago Bob Blackman MP reported to the House of Commons that the sum had reached £86 million!

Re football costs - the clubs pay for policing within the grounds (during the matches) and immediate adjacent private grounds, but not surrounding streets or transport hubs. This cost to the UK taxpayer quoted in the House of Commons three months ago July 2025) was actually higher than you quote, at £70 million p.a.

Thank you. Most helpful. An interview on YT is 'not beyond me' - I simply don't use it, as is my right. DP hasn't stopped trying to get me to view it, so you are not alone.
MSN is considered 'a reputable but highly curated news aggregator, licensing news from other sources'. Not a source I normally refer to. But I have since done my own research and can see that the original comment posted is true. Hey ho, all's fair in love and war.

It is clear. It's the Pro Palestine match by proportion. But they get much smaller turnouts.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-869219

“The filings also map out a phased rollout: three to six influencers onboarded at a time, each expected to post roughly 25 to 30 pieces of content per month across Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. Later phases anticipated further expansion, including “matching with Israeli content partners” and developing partnerships with US-based marketing agencies.”

You can discuss what you like, no one’s stopping you.

Pro Palestine marches are about trying to stop a Genocide . Tommy Robinson marches are to spread hate. They are not the same.