A freelance journalist working for Premier Christian News was punched, pushed and chased by protestors whilst reporting at Saturday's 'Unite the Kingdom' protest, staged by the founder of the English Defence League (EDL) Tommy Robinson.
David Campanale was shaken but left unhurt after he was overheard as he interviewed Christians attending the central London march, which promoters had portrayed as an “historic free speech rally”.
"The official anthem of the march was 'Come one, come all', but for some on the march, they didn't want that to include journalists covering the event in an impartial, open-minded way," Campanale said.
The Metropolitan Police said between 110,000 and 150,000 attended the protest, whilst organisers claimed that the true figure was between one and two million. They made 25 arrests for offences including affray, violent disorder, assaults and criminal damage.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said 26 police officers were injured.
He stated: “There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence. They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.
“The violence they faced was wholly unacceptable. 26 officers were injured, including four seriously – among them broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc and a head injury”.
Prior to the march, Robinson had urged his supporters to not drink alcohol, wear masks or use violence.
Campanale said: "I walked with the march from its rally point at Blackfriars Bridge, across to the Southbank then all the way to Westminster Bridge. It was a peaceful event until I saw police arrest a few people for what looked like offences linked to being drunk and disorderly. It was a concern that Premier was stopped from reporting by drunken threats.
"But it was important to hear the perspective of Christians who joined the rally and to report the claimed Christian sentiments expressed from the stage by leaders and endorsed by Tommy Robinson himself."
On the other hand, Peter McIlvenna, author at The Federalist attended the event, and gave a different view of the rally. He said although it wasn’t an explicitly Christian event, there was Christian ethos involved.
“The gospel choir that were there… it was actually true worship, and the people on the front leading, I thought I was in Kensington temple on the Sunday morning, and not in the middle of Westminster on a Saturday.
“The worship was beautiful… they were worshiping and they were leading people who were. There is something powerful about that. Maybe many of them there are not Christians. [But] maybe that could have been their first encounter with Christ.”
You can read a news analysis of the Unite the Kingdom march here.
(Additional reporting by Tola Mbakwe)