A homophobic religious mob calling themselves the ‘King’s Army’ organised an intimidating mob in the streets of London’s Soho – the heart of London’s LGBT+ community, home to many LGBT+ bars, clubs, and meeting places – shouting anti-gay and Christian Nationalist slogans to passersby.
The group marched in a military formation wearing black tracksuits while shouting ‘Jesus Saves’ repeatedly on Old Compton Street, London’s busiest street for LGBT+ venues.
Founded in 2024, the group describes itself as a ‘spiritual army’ opposed to ‘sin and cultural decay’, and ‘a coalition of Christians… who believe it’s time for the Church to stop living like civilians and start fighting like soldiers’. The protest was promoted online by Turning Point UK, a niche alt-right organisation based on the organisation founded by Charlie Kirk in the United States.
It is just the latest example of rising Christian Nationalism in the UK, much of which can be attributed to American influence and financing.
Humanists UK and its section LGBT+ Humanists will be writing to the Government’s Prevent programme to ask what it is doing in response to the growth of far-right Christian Nationalist extremism in the United Kingdom.
LGBT+ Humanists Coordinator Nick Baldwin said:
‘This was clearly an intimidating spectacle designed to make LGBT+ people feel unsafe in their own communities, and send a harmful message to wider society.
‘It’s been very clear from recent weeks and months that Christian Nationalists have been deliberately targeting LGBT+ people in their political rhetoric and public protests, and now with blackshirt-style acts of intimidation.’
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For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959.
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