Jeremy Corbyn Joins 400-Strong Cardiff Anti-Racism March 2026

Key Points

• More than 400 people participated in an anti-racism Unity March that took place in Cardiff on Saturday, 24 October 2026 in spite of heavy rain and disruption caused by Storm Boelo.
• Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was at the head of the march and made his speeches to demonstrators.
• The protest was organized by Stand Up To Racism and supported by a coalition of several organisations, including CND Cymru, National Education Union Cymru, PCS Cymru and Together Cymru.
• Leanne Wood, the former leader of Plaid Cymru and Anthony Slaughter of the Wales Green Party were expected to speak at the demonstration.
• Demonstrators showed solidarity to people who suffered from racism and Islamophobia, as well as to Palestinians.
• The protest happened after the motion was moved to the Senedd by Jason O’Connell of Reform UK and called for banning Muslim face coverings, including the burqa, which is considered “anti-British” and reflects an “alien culture”.

Cardiff (Wales Times) October 25, 2026 — More than 400 people marched through uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff in heavy rain on Saturday in an anti-racism demonstration led by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, according to Herald.Wales. The Unity March began outside Cardiff Central Station and brought together campaigners, trade unionists, students, community groups and politicians in a show of opposition to racism, Islamophobia and the far right.

As reported by Herald.Wales, Corbyn was among those leading protesters from Cardiff Central. The report said more than 400 people took part despite torrential weather. WalesOnline reported that a “couple of hundred” people gathered in Central Square as Storm Boelo caused transport disruption and event cancellations elsewhere in the country.

Why Did Demonstrators Gather In Cardiff?

The march was called by Stand Up To Racism and supported by a coalition of organisations, including CND Cymru, the National Education Union Cymru, PCS Cymru and Together Cymru. According to the Morning Star, organisers said the purpose was to bring communities together in the face of far-right attacks.

Nation.Cymru reported before the event that the organisers aimed to unite people from different backgrounds, celebrate Cardiff’s diverse communities and demonstrate support for a society based on solidarity rather than hatred. The march assembled at midday outside Cardiff Central Station.

Protesters carried flags, sang chants and heard speeches from Corbyn and Leanne Wood. WalesOnline reported that the demonstration expressed solidarity with people experiencing racism and Islamophobia, and with the people of Palestine.

What Did Jeremy Corbyn Say?

Speaking to the crowd, Corbyn thanked participants for their support for Palestinian people. As reported by the Morning Star, he said:

“I reckon that between one and two million people in Britain have either attended demonstrations, gone to local events, signed petitions, lobbied their local MP or done something to support the Palestinian people.”

WalesOnline also carried the same remarks, quoting Corbyn as saying that such participation was “almost unprecedented for international solidarity in this country”. The former Labour leader also reflected on his own visits to Gaza, according to WalesOnline.

What Was Said About Racism And The Far Right?

Leanne Wood, the former Plaid Cymru leader, told marchers that people had seen what she described as the mainstream far right trying to conceal. In remarks published by the Morning Star, she said elected councillors and officials had used language, arguments and imagery similar to that used by the Nazis, and had “turn[ed] racism into a badge of honour”.

Wood’s own published speech said the comments included calls for Muslims to be described as parasites and references to concentration camps and executions. She urged those present to oppose and expose the far right and to defend women and minority groups.

Nupur Paliwal, president of the Students’ Federation of India UK, said that conceding space to the right made it difficult to regain it. The Morning Star quoted her as saying that the far right sought to divide people through hatred, and that women had been attacked over their clothing while Indian and African students had been questioned for accessing public spaces.

Paliwal added: “Attacking us is not going to get you a job, is not going to lower your water bill and is not going to get your kids to a better school.”

How Did The Senedd Motion Shape The Protest?

The protest took place days after Reform UK Senedd member Jason O’Connell put forward a motion calling for Muslim face coverings, including the burqa, to be banned. WalesOnline reported that Reform UK claimed such coverings were “anti-British” and represented an “alien culture”.

The motion prompted angry exchanges in the Senedd and remained prominent among demonstrators outside Cardiff Central, according to WalesOnline. The report did not state that the march was formally called in response to the motion, but said many protesters were particularly motivated to attend after it.

Who Else Took Part?

The event included a student bloc and members of Plaid Cymru in the Senedd, according to Socialist Worker. It also reported that speakers came from the Cockroach movement in India and from migrant-worker groups.

Nation.Cymru listed supporters including Asylum Justice, Cardiff for Sudan, Black Lives Matter, the Students’ Federation of India-UK, Women Against the Far Right, the Cardiff Stop the War Coalition and other peace groups. A representative of Cardiff North Labour told WalesOnline that the group supported Wales as a “nation of sanctuary”, opposed the far right and backed a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.

Alice Nicholson, a protester from Cardiff, told WalesOnline that far-right groups had been emboldened across Europe and that immigrants were being used as scapegoats during an economic crisis. Another participant, Tony from Gilfach Goch, said attending was about showing unity and strength, according to WalesOnline.

Siddharth Pandey of the Young Communist League told the Morning Star that the march demonstrated that progressive forces outnumbered far-right groups. He referenced events in Dover involving what he called “masked hooligans”, saying: “Even in the midst of a storm we could muster more numbers than they could on any given day in Wales.”

What Does The March Mean For Wales?

The demonstration occurred amid broader anti-racist mobilisation. Socialist Worker reported that unity marches had taken place across towns and cities in England and Wales, and separately described a confrontation in Herne Bay between at least 250 anti-racists and members of the Kent National Movement.

In Wales, the Cardiff event was presented by organisers as a response to rising racism and division. Nation.Cymru reported that organisers wanted racism, discrimination and far-right intimidation to be met with “collective unity and resistance”.

Background Of The Development

The Cardiff Unity March was scheduled in advance for Saturday, 24 October, at midday outside Cardiff Central Station. Nation.Cymru reported on 23 October that Corbyn, Wood and Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter were expected to speak, alongside Welsh trade union leaders, anti-racist campaigners and community organisations.

The march followed a week of political controversy in the Senedd after Reform UK’s Jason O’Connell proposed a ban on Muslim face coverings. WalesOnline reported that the proposal generated angry exchanges among politicians and became a focus for many people attending the Cardiff protest.

The event also formed part of a wider weekend of anti-racist activity. Socialist Worker reported that unity demonstrations had been organised in multiple parts of England and Wales, including a separate event in Herne Bay, Kent.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Welsh Communities?

For Welsh communities, the march may strengthen visible networks among anti-racist campaigners, trade unions, student groups and community organisations. The organisers’ stated aim was to build solidarity across different backgrounds, and the attendance of unions and political figures suggests continued cooperation between civic and political groups.

For minority communities, particularly Muslim, migrant, refugee and student communities, the event may provide reassurance that local organisations are prepared to publicly challenge racist and Islamophobic rhetoric. Speakers specifically raised concerns about women being targeted over clothing and students being questioned in public spaces.

For Welsh politics, the demonstration may increase pressure on Senedd parties to respond clearly to debates over immigration, religious dress and community cohesion. The Reform UK motion on face coverings was already a source of political conflict, and the march showed that those issues can mobilise public protest beyond the Senedd chamber.