Tommy Robinson came to the Oxford Union on 17 June to speak in a debate on Islam, prompting hundreds of protesters to gather in nearby roads.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, spoke on the motion: “This House believes the West is right to be suspicious of Islam.” The event also featured Laurence Fox, Jonathan Sacerdoti, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Abdullah al Andalusi, and Michael Doward.
In the weeks leading up to Robinson’s visit, student societies, including the Oxford Labour Club, It Happens Here, and the Oxford Feminist Society, issued statements on Instagram expressing their reservations against the Union’s decision to invite Tommy Robinson to speak.
Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown also said she was “deeply concerned” by the Union’s decision to host him and stated that the society must “meet the full costs of staging [its] event, rather than leaving Oxford’s taxpayers to pick up the bill.”
According to a BBC Freedom of Information request, Robinson’s visit to the Union cost the Thames Valley Police £100,000.
A packed crowd of protesters gathered around St Michael’s Street and Cornmarket Street before the debate, chanting slogans including “Oxford Union, shame, shame,” “This isn’t debate, you’re spreading hate,” and “Oxford is anti-fascist.”
Some demonstrators linked arms near entrances to the Union, while police maintained cordons separating anti-Robinson protesters from a smaller group of counter-protesters carrying the Union Jack.
Overcrowding outside the venue prevented many Union members who had won a ticket from the ballot from reaching the entrance, leaving Robinson to address a nearly empty Chamber at approximately 22:00, almost an hour and a half after the debate was scheduled to begin.
At 22:26, Robinson’s X account posted a video of protesters chanting while being pushed by police to “move back.”
“There’s [sic] been debates at the Oxford Union for over 200 years. Before Queen Victoria even took to the throne,” Robinson wrote in the caption. “The exchanging of ideas is key to growing society. This is it today. Far left degenerates blocking anyone wanting to learn or share ideas.”
Thames Valley Police said that the demonstrations passed “without significant incident,” though a 20-year-old man from Kent was arrested on suspicion of assault by beating. St Michael’s and surrounding streets were closed to vehicles and pedestrians between 16:00 and 23:00.
The debate concluded at about 12:59am on 18 June, with voting results announced at about 1:30am. The motion was defeated, with 30 for and 33 against in the membership-card vote, and 41 for and 57 against in the chamber vote.
The Oxford Union previously defended the invitation on free speech grounds, with Union President Arwa Elrayess stating in an interview with The Telegraph: “You do not invite a speaker to endorse them: you invite them so that their ideas can be examined, and their claims tested.”
The Oxford Union and Robinson have been reached for comment.