Silence about the bigotry inherent in events like Tommy Robinson’s march will be seen by the thugs as tacit approval of their message, says Labour MP Diane Abbott

Silence about the bigotry inherent in events like Tommy Robinson’s march will be seen by the thugs as tacit approval of their message, says Labour MP Diane Abbott

Some in Whitehall were aggressive, some openly racist – but more still felt this far-right gathering was the only place they could be heard, says Guardian journalist Helen Pidd