Large crowds join Tommy Robinson’s Christmas carol service

A carol service hosted by far-Right activist Tommy Robinson passed off peacefully in London on Saturday despite fears on the contrary.

Around 1,000 individuals are reported to have attended the controversial figure’s outdoor service in Parliament Square. Many of them were wearing festive attire and wearing Santa hats.

Addressing the crowds, Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – said he had been on his “own path” with the Christian faith in recent months. 

“In 15 years of activism, tons of of demonstrations, tons of of gatherings, that is probably the most beautiful moment I’ve had in my life as an activist,” he said.

“Moments like this bring me closer to faith,” he added.

“People say, why are you here today? We’re here to rejoice the birth of Jesus Christ and everybody of us, including ourselves, must ask what which means to us.”

Traditional carols were sung on the event, including “Silent Night”, “Away in a Manger”, “Mary’s Boy Child”, and “Come all ye faithful”.

Conservative commentator Young Bob also spoke on the stage, telling people to grow to be Christians. 

“Jesus Christ is the just one God who will meet you in your level. Everyone is worthy of the promise of the cross,” he said. 

“Despite ripping out the Christian roots of this great nation. If it weren’t for Jesus Christ, I might not be here. If it weren’t for Jesus Christ, this country wouldn’t be great.”

Robinson said he wanted next 12 months’s service to be even greater and “fill Trafalgar Square”. 

He is reported to have recently converted to Christianity while in prison. Prior to the event, he said he desired to “put the Christ back in Christmas”, claiming the celebration had grow to be too secular and business.

Multiple church leaders responded to his comments by issuing joint statements saying that Christ was already in Christmas and railing against far-Right “co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others”. 

An announcement by bishops within the Diocese of Southwark said, “Jesus calls us to like not only those whom we like or agree with or who appear to be us – but to like our enemies and welcome the stranger.

“Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable, and we’re gravely concerned in regards to the use of Christian symbols and rhetoric to apparently justify racism and anti-migrant rhetoric.

“We understand that there are a lot of who could also be swept-up in movements like this who don’t necessarily buy-in wholesale to what’s being said.

“We would encourage them to reconsider, to think about what form of world they wish to be an element of – and to decide on compassion and understanding over hostility and conflict.”  

The church leaders were themselves accused of excluding others and co-opting the Christian faith for left-wing political agendas. 

Dr Jason Swan Clark, director of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction, said that while he was no fan of Robinson, he disagreed with the extent of fury being directed towards the carol service from Christians who’ve been comfortable to support overtly political agendas.

“We appear to have had Christian groups who’ve spent months entirely comfortable under pro-Palestine banners, Islamic slogans, rainbow flags, LGBTQ+ causes, BLM symbolism, climate change flags, and anti-colonial rhetoric, who’re suddenly and seemingly scandalised by a carol event — and never primarily due to the carols. That contrast alone should make us pause,” he said.

He pointed to the arrest of priests for supporting Palestine Action, a proscribed terrorist organisation within the UK whose activists have been accused of violent attacks on police.

“Yet most of the same voices express horror at a proposed carol service, immediately castigating it as ‘far right Christian nationalism’,” Dr Clark continued.

“For years now, huge numbers of atypical Brits have felt ridiculed, unheard, and publicly shamed simply for being British.

“And the moment a few of them reach for Christian symbols, language, and tradition — the very things Christianity once assumed belonged to all — those that preach tolerance respond with moral panic and purity tests. The contradiction is tough to disregard.”

Apologist David Robertson said the outcry from some Christians had been hypocritical. 

“We are told that the objection is to ‘the capture of Christian language and symbols by populist forces looking for to use the religion for their very own political ends’. But we’re being told this by leaders who themselves continually use captured Christian language and symbols to use the religion for their very own political ends,” he said.

“Leaders who cannot tell us what God says about salvation can tell us what God says in regards to the EU, immigration, climate change and Donald Trump! It was once said that the Church of England was the Tory party at prayer. Now it seems more accurate to explain it because the Green/Labour/Progressive party at politics.”

Catholic commentator Gavin Ashenden criticised a counter-protest against Tommy Robinson’s carol service that was staged concurrently outside St Paul’s Cathedral, featuring Mary and Joseph in a refugee dinghy.

“You couldn’t get far more political than that,” he said.