STATEMENT FROM UNITED EAST END

Thursday 22 January, 2026

We have been informed by the Metropolitan Police that UKIP will not be permitted tohold their "Walk with Jesus" in our borough on 31st January.

We warmly welcome this. It is recognition of our community's determination to stand together and insist that Tower Hamlets is No Place for Hate. From the Battle of Cable Street 90 years ago, to the defeat of the racist groups such as the National Front, British National Party and English Defence League, we will always oppose racism andprejudice.

On this occasion, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) tried to use Christianity as a false flag for sowing division. In response, many churches have joined local people, of all faiths and none, to say UKIP are not welcome here.

Mthr. Bernadette Hegarty, a Vicar of St Paul's Church Bow Common since 2014, said "Churches and church groups in Tower Hamlets work closely with the Mayor and United East End to oppose the Far-Right because its politics of division harm the common good and threaten vulnerable people. We are particularly concerned when Far-Right groups use Christian symbols, language or imagery at their events which distorts the Gospel and misrepresents the faith. In Tower Hamlets, we seek to  strengthen trust, encourage understanding and stand with our neighbours against extremism with compassion rather than fear."

But the danger of fascism has not gone away. Across the country, we are facing a growing threat from the Far-Right, including the Reform Party, who repeatedly use racist scapegoating to try to win support.

That is why, on 28th March, there will be a national demonstration against the Far-Right in central London, organised by the Together Alliance, calling for hope, love and unity.

Recent research found that 91% of Tower Hamlets residents think people from different backgrounds get along well together. We are not an "island of strangers" as the Prime Minister has said, and we don't need Nick Tenconi of UKIP or Nigel Farage of Reform telling us how we should live, prey, or who our neighbours should be.

United East End (UEE) was founded in 2010 to oppose the EDL. It is a non-party political alliance of local community organisations, faith groups, trade unions, and anti-racist groups. We encourage everyone to sign our statement which can be accessed here: https://unitedeastend.org.uk/u...

Thank you.

Dr Glyn Robbins & Dr Abdullah Faliq

Founding Members, United East End