British political leaders denounced Elon Musk on Monday after the X and Tesla owner, addressing a large anti-immigration rally by video link, told demonstrators that "violence is coming to you" and that "you either fight back or you die."
Musk called for the dissolution of Parliament, an early election and a change of government during remarks to the "Unite the Kingdom" demonstration in central London on Saturday. The rally — organized by far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson — drew what organizers and media described as around 100,000 people and was marred by clashes between some demonstrators and police.
The Metropolitan Police said 26 officers were injured, four seriously, as groups of protesters tried to breach lines separating them from a smaller anti-racist counter-demonstration. Twenty-five people were arrested at the event and the force said further arrests were expected.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the violence on the fringes of the demonstration, writing 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." Starmer did not comment directly on Musk’s remarks.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, called on Starmer and Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to join him in condemning Musk’s comments and to consider what sanctions the tech billionaire should face for attempting "to sow discord and incite violence on our streets" and interfering with British democracy. Equalities Minister Jacqui Smith said Musk’s remarks "were wrong and they were dangerous." Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the comments as "slightly incomprehensible" and "totally inappropriate," while saying the scale of Saturday’s rally showed free speech remains alive.
Organizers have framed the protest as a response to growing political concern about unauthorized migration to the U.K., particularly small-boat crossings of the English Channel. British authorities say more than 30,000 migrants have made the crossing from France so far this year, and the government's use of hotels to accommodate asylum-seekers has prompted a series of small, often heated local protests over the summer, some of which turned violent.
Saturday’s demonstration included a broad display of flags — Union Jacks and England’s St. George’s Cross — which have proliferated in recent weeks amid a self-styled national "fly-the-flag" campaign. Red crosses painted on buildings in some areas have been interpreted by critics as an intimidating gesture aimed at ethnic minorities.
Musk is no stranger to controversy in Europe. He has previously supported hard-right and far-right figures on the continent, including Robinson — whose birth name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who has been convicted of fraud — and Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Musk has also been critical of European attempts to regulate harmful online content, arguing such moves restrict free speech.
Police and local authorities said they will review the rally and its policing. The Metropolitan Police said officers had faced a sustained level of disorder and that inquiries and arrests would continue as part of a post-event investigation.
Members of Parliament and civil society groups urged vigilance against rhetoric that could inflame tensions. Several lawmakers said they would be monitoring any further public comments by international figures related to British politics and exploring legal and parliamentary avenues to address foreign interference and incitement.
The protest underscores rising public and political attention on migration and integration in Britain ahead of the next national political contests, and it has prompted renewed debate over the balance between protecting free speech and preventing the spread of language that could incite violence or intimidation on the streets.