British political leaders on Monday condemned Elon Musk after the billionaire entrepreneur told a massive anti-immigration rally in London that “violence is coming” and urged demonstrators to “fight back or die.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced violence that flared on the fringes of Saturday’s “Unite the Kingdom” march, a far-right demonstration organized by Tommy Robinson, where more than 100,000 people flooded central London in one of the largest nationalist protests in decades. Police said 26 officers were injured, four seriously, in clashes with protesters attempting to breach barriers separating them from anti-racist counter-demonstrators. Authorities arrested 25 people and warned more arrests were imminent.
Musk, appearing by video link, went further, calling for Parliament to be dissolved, an early election to be held, and Britain’s government to be replaced. His intervention prompted sharp criticism across the political spectrum.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey accused Musk of trying “to sow discord and incite violence on our streets” and urged both Starmer and Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to consider sanctions against the Tesla and X owner. Equalities Minister Jacqui Smith called Musk’s remarks “dangerous,” while Business Secretary Peter Kyle described them as “totally inappropriate.”
Starmer, while not addressing Musk directly, wrote on X that peaceful protest “is core to our country’s values. But we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the color of their skin.”
The rally underscored how immigration, particularly the arrival of more than 30,000 people crossing the English Channel in small boats this year, has become a polarizing issue. The use of hotels to house asylum-seekers has sparked a wave of smaller protests, some turning violent.
Saturday’s demonstration turned London’s streets into a sea of Union Jacks and St. George’s flags, symbols that in recent weeks have proliferated across Britain in a grassroots “fly-the-flag” campaign. Red crosses have also appeared painted on buildings, which critics say is meant to intimidate ethnic minorities.
Musk has repeatedly aligned himself with far-right figures in Europe, including Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and Germany’s Alternative for Germany party (AfD). Once seen as an ally of President Donald Trump, Musk has also opposed efforts by the U.K. and other European governments to tighten controls on harmful online content, arguing they infringe on free speech.
Starmer stressed that Britain’s identity would not be surrendered to extremist movements. “Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect,” he wrote. “Our flag represents our diverse country and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.”
