Protesters chanting “nazi scum get off our streets” gathered at Falmer Station on April 16, as a counter-demonstration formed in response to the presence of Turning Point UK (TPUK) near the University of Sussex. Video from the scene shows students and local activists holding placards and banners as tensions rose in the underpass.
Following the arrival and set-up of a TPUK stand at the edge of campus, a counter-demonstration gathered nearby. The TPUK group, an offshoot of Turning Point USA, was founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery and has increasingly focused on UK universities as part of its campaigning. It says its aim is to promote free speech and challenge what it describes as “woke ideology” in education.
A Sussex Students’ Union representative said TPUK’s location under the Falmer underpass was deliberate. “They’ve come here before, and they’ve been banned from our campus,” he said. “That’s why they are now under the underpass… because it’s public property.”
He said that Kellie-Jay Keene (also known as Posie Parker) and Nick Tenconi were among those present. He also gave the following explanation for why he and other students had joined the protest:
“They’re here trying to convert students to their right-wing beliefs, trying to debate students. We’re basically here to show them that they’re not welcome on our campus.” He referred to Posie Parker as “a massive transphobe”, described Nick Tenconi as “the leader of UKIP”, and alleged he had “said some really horrific things”. He also referred to Steve Laws as “an ethnonationalist” and said he “does Migrant Hunting”.
In a message circulated beforehand, Lyds Knowles, the Students’ Union Diversity, Access and Participation Officer, confirmed that a political group would be present near campus and warned that some students might find the situation distressing. Students were advised that engagement was optional and to prioritise their well-being.
Speaking at the event, Keene said she had been “invited by Turning Point” and framed the visit as part of a wider debate on free speech. “The point of this is always to have open dialogue,” she said. “Whatever side of any debate you’re on, you should have the right to express it.” She also referenced previous controversies involving the university, saying that she wanted to see how attitudes toward academic freedom were reflected within the student body.
Some attendees disputed this claim. One student described difficulties engaging in discussion, saying: “I think it’s ridiculous that they’re trying to frame this as ‘trying to reach out and spread the message’ when they’ve got five different cameras set up to clip people and post them online.” She added, “He [Turning Point member] refuses to hold any sort of meaningful debate on the side, saying, ‘go to the mic, go to the mic’. We want to have meaningful conversations off camera without them putting our faces on social media.”
Footage later shared on Turning Point UK’s official Instagram account presented the event from a different perspective. The organisation described the gathering as a “women’s rights” stand and, in a caption, referred to the counter-protest as a “crazed mob of leftists,” while expressing support for Keene. The video shows interactions between activists and demonstrators, including chanting and multiple cameras recording the scene.
The protest also drew in external groups. Christian Hogsbjerg of Stand Up to Racism said he attended after seeing information shared by students online. Explaining his reasons for joining the counter-demonstration, he said: “It shows in the current climate that racists and fascists are emboldened. I think it’s really important that here today, students heard about it, and they’ve come down and protested.” He added, “The far right is a threat to women, and they’re trying to divide our campus while they themselves are trying to grow their following… Whenever fascists show up on campus, it’s really important that students come down and protest like they’ve done today. We need to say there is no platform for fascists on our campus.”
There has been no official confirmation of arrests related to the incident.
Photos: Fiona Muncaster, Head of Photography
