US Vice President JD Vance has thrown his support behind British anti-immigration activists, urging them to continue their efforts after tens of thousands gathered for a major rally in London over the weekend.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Vance aligned himself with participants in Saturday's march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The event, branded as "unite the kingdom," drew what organizers claimed was millions, though police put the actual figure at approximately 60,000.
Vance framed the issue in economic terms, claiming that Western governments pursue mass immigration policies that harm working people. "All over the west there is this idea that the way to generate prosperity is to bring in millions and millions of unvetted people and drop them into your neighborhoods," he told reporters. "And we simply reject that idea."
He then directly addressed the British activists: "To everybody in the UK who rejects that idea, I'd encourage them to just keep on going. It's OK to want to defend your culture. It's OK to want to live in a safe neighborhood."
At the Saturday rally in Parliament Square, Robinson declared the demonstration "a turning point for Britain." The event drew scrutiny for Islamophobic and ethnonationalist hate speech, with nine people arrested on suspicion of hate crimes and extremist flyers distributed to crowds.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the right to peaceful protest but accused organizers of peddling hatred and division. His government blocked entry visas for foreign far-right figures seeking to attend the demonstration.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has become a prominent figure in British far-right politics for over a decade. He co-founded the English Defence League in 2009 and has accumulated multiple criminal convictions including mortgage fraud, assault, and contempt of court charges for filming defendants in active trials. He served time in prison as recently as 2024.
The latest march represents a continuation of Robinson's organizing efforts. A previous demonstration in September drew between 100,000 and 150,000 people, where Elon Musk addressed supporters via video link. Saturday's crowd was substantially smaller, representing less than half the September turnout.
Vance's remarks underscore how Robinson has increasingly gained traction within American right-wing circles, expanding his influence beyond UK borders.
Author James Rodriguez: "Vance's explicit endorsement of activists aligned with a figure convicted multiple times for contempt of court marks a significant moment in how American political leaders engage with international far-right movements."
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