A man has been prosecuted after shouting racial abuse at a police officer during Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom rally in London. Stuart Adams, 49, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, May 18.
Incident at the Rally
The incident occurred on Saturday, May 16, during the far-right demonstration in Parliament Square. Adams hurled abusive remarks at Metropolitan Police officer Harjot Sehmi, who was standing near a cordon outside Downing Street. The court heard that Adams shouted "you're a c***", "f*** Keir Starmer", and "let's have a fight" at police officers before targeting Officer Sehmi with racial slurs.
Adams looked at the officer and shouted "what are you looking at", "p****", and "go back to your homeland". Prosecutor Suleman Hussain told the court that the officer described Adams's face as "contorted in anger" and that he "agitated" his arms while shouting. The officer felt "upset" and "sad" after the incident and did not wish to continue policing the rally, which was organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
Arrest and Guilty Plea
Adams was arrested at the scene and taken to a police station. In court, he wore a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, speaking only to confirm his identity and enter his plea. Defence lawyer Fadi Daoud said Adams "regrets totally his actions" and had apologised at the police station. "He understands he shouldn't have done it. He won't do it again," Daoud added.
Next Hearing
Adams, of Aberconway Road, Merton, south London, is due to reappear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 16 for sentencing.
Wider Context
The Metropolitan Police reported that 43 arrests were made during protests in central London over the weekend, including 20 linked to the Unite the Kingdom rally. An estimated 60,000 people joined Robinson's march on Saturday, according to the force.
