Christian journalist assaulted at Unite the Kingdom rally

Premier Christian News has said that one among its freelance reporters was assaulted at Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom rally last weekend.

The Metropolitan Police have estimated that there have been between 100,000 to 150,000 people present, although each supporters and detractors of the movement who were present estimate the true figure might be near one million.

Supporters praised it for its positive atmosphere, but there have been also reports of some violence.

David Campanale, reporting for Premier Christian News, said he was punched, pushed and chased by members of the group. He was thankfully unharmed.

“The official anthem of the march was ‘Come one, come all’, but for some on the march, they didn’t want that to incorporate journalists covering the event in an impartial, open-minded way,”  Campanale said.

He said he had attended the event to report on “the attitude of Christians who joined the rally” and “the claimed Christian sentiments expressed from the stage by leaders and endorsed by Tommy Robinson himself”. 

Robinson reportedly converted to Christianity during his most up-to-date stint in prison. Pastor Rikki Doolan told Premier it happened during a jail visit.

According to the police, 26 of their officers were injured in violence with protestors, 4 of them seriously, and 25 demonstrators were arrested, although that’s considerably fewer than the 423 people arrested on the Notting Hill Carnival this 12 months.

Trevor Phillips, the previous head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, was on the rally and told Sky News that those present weren’t the last remaining dregs of the BNP or National Front, but “normal people” who’re indignant on the failure of the political class to listen to their concerns.

Some present spoke of a carnival atmosphere, with activist Billboard Chris, real name Chris Elston, saying he was having an “amazing day”. Elston who was on account of speak on the event but never had the prospect to deliver his speech on account of the unexpected virtual appearance of tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Peter McIlvenna, writer at The Federalist, also described the rally in positive terms, saying, “The gospel choir that were there … it was actually true worship, and the people on the front leading, I believed I used to be in Kensington temple on the Sunday morning, and never in the midst of Westminster on a Saturday.

“The worship was beautiful … they were worshiping they usually were leading individuals who were. There is something powerful about that. Maybe lots of them there will not be Christians. [But] perhaps that might have been their first encounter with Christ.”