A man has admitted shouting racially abusive remarks, including “go back to your homeland”, at a police officer during the “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration on Saturday.
Stuart Adams, 49, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence after shouting racially abusive remarks at Metropolitan Police officer Harjot Sehmi, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.
Adams, who attended the protest in central London on Saturday, hurled “you’re a c***”, “f*** Keir Starmer” and “let’s have a fight” at police officers standing around a cordon outside Downing Street on Saturday, the court heard.
He then looked at Mr Sehmi and shouted “what are you looking at”, “p****” and “go back to your homeland”, the court was told.
Suleman Hussain, prosecuting, said the police officer told him Adams’ s face was “contorted in anger” and he kept “agitating” his arms as he shouted at him.
Mr Hussain added the police officer felt “upset” and “sad” when he heard Adams, and did not want to continue policing the rally, which was organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Adams appeared in court on Monday wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, and spoke to confirm his identity and indicate his plea.
Fadi Daoud, defending, said Adams, who was arrested and taken to a police station after making the remarks, “regrets totally his actions”.
Mr Daoud said: “He regrets totally his actions. He regrets and apologised. He apologised at the police station.
“He understands he shouldn’t have done it. He won’t do it again.”
Adams, of Aberconway Road, Merton, south London, will next appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 16.
Some 43 arrests were made during protests in central London at the weekend, including 20 linked to the Unite the Kingdom rally, the Metropolitan Police said.
About 60,000 people are estimated to have joined Tommy Robinson’s march on Saturday, the force added.
Another person was charged following a pro-Palestine Nakba Day demonstration, which was also in central London but kept separate by police from Tommy Robinson’s rally.
Dara Harbison, 26, from Brighton, East Sussex, was charged with assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage and possession of cannabis, and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 6.
Read more: Neo-Nazi student sentenced for terrorism and hate offences