Oxford News
Scenes and faces from the Tommy Robinson protests in Oxford
Hundreds of people turned out to protest the arrival of the ultra-nationalist figure, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, for a debate at the Oxford Union on Wednesday, June 17.
The debate was on whether ‘the West is right to be suspicious of Islam’, and the invite list sparked outrage from many across the city.
The Oxford Mail had two reporters and a photographer on the ground along with others contributing to the coverage – here’s what they captured of the protest-waving, chanting and police clashes that took place over the course of the evening.
Oxford City Council announced earlier in the week that St Michael’s Street would be the only road closure associated with the controversial debate and the resulting planned protests.
Meanwhile, Tommy Robinson is seen arriving in a white van with the windows blacked-out, ushered towards the debating hall by security personnel who close the fence behind him.
He’s following former actor Laurence Fox and former government minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is representing the ‘opposition’ in the debate on Islam, who arrived shortly before him.
Supporters of Yaxley-Lennon hosted a smaller demonstration of their own, numbering a few dozen people at their peak. They gathered in Bonn Square, at the end of New Inn Hall Street where the speaker had been driven to the debate.
One of them, who did not want to share his name, said: “It’s just about being safe on the streets. Oxfordshire doesn’t want to be the next Rochdale.
“It’s not about racism, I’m not here today about racism, it’s about protection of the next generation.
“Oxfordshire is fairly safe at the moment, but there’s so many parts of the country now that are dominated by Muslims – we’re being taken over.
“I’m not against Muslim people, but the people that we have in our hotels are not vetted people, we don’t who they are, what they’re backgrounds are.”
Meanwhile, people continued joining the numbers of self-described ‘anti-fascist’ protesters gathering mostly on Cornmarket Street.
One of the organisers from Stand Up to Racism, Teige, said: “Fasicsm is on the rise.
“Tommy Robinson is not here to have a political debate – he was at the centre of the pogroms in Belfast and Southampton and Glasgow.
“And that’s his aim. The safety of our community is not up for debate.”
Police remained present at the largely peaceful protest, keeping to the side lines and intervening on only a few occasions.
Carol Wing, a member of Stand Up to Racism and Women Against Fascism, said: “We’re here protesting that the Oxford Union elite debating club for the elite have invited Tommy Robinson to a debate that ‘the west should be suspicious of Islam’.
“Everywhere he goes, he fuels division, he fuels hate, we do not want this in Oxford.
“We have petitioned for them to not have this debate and they have refused to cancel it, so we’re here the only way we know how, to make a lot of noise.”
The anti-racism protesters began blocking the entrance ways to the debate hall as it approached the start time of 8.30pm, at the St Michael’s Street and Frewin Court entrances.
Thames Valley Police later confirmed that Oxford Union debate organisers themselves decided to suspend entry to the event for ticket holders, as a result of the protest.
Note: The sound on this video has been removed due to language.
Supporters of Yaxley-Lennon began making their way down Queen Street to meet the other group of demonstrators in Cornmarket.
As the groups began to clash, around 20 police officers rushed between them to form a line and prevent the groups interacting. Members of both sides shouted at each other across the police line.
Jack, supporting Yaxley-Lennon, said: “I’m standing here today due to recent events, there’s a two-tier society that victimises native British people.
“The two tier system privileges non native people over native British people. We want equality under the law.
“Why shouldn’t Tommy Robinson speak under freedom of speech? Tommy Robinson is standing up to the system.”
As the debate began got under way after 8.30pm, the protest began to die down, Yaxley-Lennon’s supporters clearing from the streets first.
Police said one arrest was made, with a 20-year-old man from Kent being taken into police custody on suspicion of assault by beating.
Thames Valley Police said the operation stood down at about 1.30am on Thursday morning.
Oxford Stand Up to Racism later claimed that more than 400 people had turned out in support of their cause.
On Wednesday, September 2, it was the Concours judging and private viewings to dominate the agenda for the day.
Twelve Concours classes were held across almost a century of motoring, including The Golden Age of Motoring, 100 Years of Carrrozzeria Touring, La Dolce Vita, 60 Years of the Lamborghini Miura and Passione Ferrari.
Two new classes also made their debut for 2026, Rare Breeds of the Digital Age and Hypercar Heaven, which recognise the growing importance of contemporary performance cars within the international collector market.
Judging will take place across Wednesday and Thursday, with the show field bringing together a 70-strong collection of classics, supercars and hypercars from around the world.
Some of the cars include Aa Maserati 8C 3000, Alfa Romeo Sprint Berlinetta, a one-off Maserati 3500GT Spyder Prototipo by Vignale, a very early Porsche 356 Split Window Coupé, Aston Martin DB3S, Lamborghini Miura P400S, Bizzarrini 5300GT, Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet, Bugatti EB110 Prototype, Aston Martin Valiant Prototype and the extraordinary Bugatti Bolide, one of just 40 produced worldwide.
Helen Pike has decided to step down as Master of Magdalen College School at the end of the 2026/27 academic year, the school in east Oxford announced in March.
MCS is one of the top performing schools in the country, ranking in the top 20 independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2026.
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The new academic year will start next week, with Ms Pike preparing for one more year in charge before she hands over to her successor, who will take over in September 2027.
The first female Master at MCS, Ms Pike guided the board of governors to one of the most significant decisions in the school’s history, to become fully co-educational from 2027.
While there has been a co-educational sixth form at the school for 15 years, the school last month announced it will become fully co-educational over the coming decade.
Ms Pike said earlier: “I love MCS, and it is a perennial privilege to lead this remarkable school.
“Being Master of MCS is a brilliant job, and I am declaring my intention early in order to give MCS the very best opportunity to find the right Master for September 2027. I shall continue to do all in my power to further the fortunes of this wonderful school until then.
“I look forward to a new phase in my own professional life, one that builds on all that I have enjoyed and achieved in my career during the past 30 years.
“Having encouraged many cohorts of pupils to take sensible risks and to do something creative and different when the time feels right, I am doing just that.”
During Ms Pike’s tenure, MCS has been recognised as a Top 20 Independent School and South East School of the Year by the Sunday Times and won Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility.
Thanking her in his letter to the school community, chair of governors, Bob Price, said earlier this year: “Helen is an outstanding leader and will go with our sincere gratitude and warm thanks for her exceptional headship.
“She will leave the school in excellent shape for her successor.”
Recruitment for a replacement for Ms Pike is now under way.
Last month, Ms Pike congratulated pupils on their “outstanding success” in this year’s A-Level exams, after more than a quarter of pupils (43) achieved three A*s or more and 25 secured all A*s.
In total, 39 pupils from the 2026 cohort are heading to Oxbridge, while 22 have secured places to study medicine.
As part of the school’s expansion plans, MCS is preparing to build a new Science, Library and Partnerships building.
A spokeswoman said the new building will offer an exciting opportunity to reimagine the senior school site as staff look ahead to full co-education.
She added earlier: “With a vision to create a sector-leading science building in the centre of Oxford, the development will enable us to support an ambitious and forward-looking science curriculum, expanding to the emerging and rapidly advancing areas of robotics, AI and Big Data.”
Holding banners which read ‘For f**k’s sake, just stop oil’, the demonstrators took to the road in Parliament Square at noon today (Wednesday, September 2).
This was as Andy Burnham faced his first Prime Minister’s Questions, and many of the protestors glued themselves to the road.
The group demanded that the UK government stop approving all further oil and gas developments, and sign a Fossil Fuel Treaty to stop oil and gas extraction.
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Just Stop Oil say that the police are expected to arrest all those blocking the road, and that one lane has been left free of glued-on action takers to permit access for emergency vehicles.
Andy Burnham is due to make a decision on whether to allow more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.
Reverend James Crote, a Baptist Minister and grandfather from Chesterton near Bicester, said: “Today is my grandson’s first birthday. I have to take action for the sake of his future.
The 69-year-old added: “The government has been dilly-dallying about whether to say yes or no to the Rosebank oil field but, if we want a future for our children, there is no choice – it has to say ‘no’.
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“I am here as a Christian Minister because the Church has to speak out and demand that the government stops approving further oil and gas developments now. It’s time for us all to say ‘For God’s sake, Just Stop Oil’.”
Data from the Met Office indicates that 2026 was the hottest summer in UK recorded history, beating 2025, which was the previous hottest summer on record.
2026 was also one of the driest summers on record, delivering record-low food harvests.
Climbing temperatures have triggered wildfires across the country, and national fire chiefs said the wildfire risk facing the UK is “like nothing we have seen before”.
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Taking action, grandmother Victoria Ann Lynch-Staunton from Leamington Spa, said: “What is happening is beyond a tragedy.”
The 71-year-old added: “I beg everyone to join Just Stop Oil or governments will continue to prioritise endless growth and corporate profit over billions of lives – yours and your children.
“Wake up and smell the coffin. It is the responsibility of all of us to act now!”
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said today: “We are all Just Stop Oil.
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“Every single person who fears deadly wildfires, devastating droughts, and spiralling food shortages is Just Stop Oil.
“The first duty of government is to keep the public safe – but by greenlighting oil and gas drilling, they endanger our survival while corporates and billionaires laugh their way to the bank.
“Every one of us feels alone and powerless in the face of this insanity, but we know there is massive political and public support for our demand.
“So we’re inviting everyone to join us at an online call on 3rd October 2026 – because it’s when we work together that we are powerful and win.”
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