Nigel Farage says Sadiq Khan attempted 'dominance' over 'our culture' by praying in public
Reform leader Nigel Farage has claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan "headed up" a group of people "attempting dominance over our capital city and our culture" after he prayed with other Muslims at an interfaith event in Trafalgar Square over the weekend.
The event in London's iconic landmark reportedly attracted people of many different faiths and Khan hailed it as the "biggest iftar in the western world".
The mayor said in an address to the crowd that he had met Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and atheists attending the event.
In a speech at a Reform rally in Essex on Wednesday afternoon, Farage, whose party is leading in national polls, told the crowd: "Have a look at this short clip. This is what happened on Trafalgar Square on Monday."
A video appeared on the screen of Muslims praying in congregation in Trafalgar Square, the London mayor among them.
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Audible "boos" were heard from the crowd.
Farage declared: "What we witnessed on Monday in London in the historic Trafalgar Square in a country that was based and built on Judeo-Christian values, because that's at the bottom of everything this country's ever been, what we witnessed there was a group of people headed up by the ghastly Sadiq Khan attempting dominance over our capital city and over our culture."
What we witnessed in London at the historic Trafalgar Square, in a country built on Judeo-Christian values, was a group of people attempting dominance over our capital city and our culture.
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) March 19, 2026
We are not going to surrender everything that was built over centuries and defended at… pic.twitter.com/LcHx0ut1xo
Earlier that day in parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer had condemned Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy for accusing the Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square of an "act of domination".
Timothy had claimed that "mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination" and was "straight from the Islamist playbook".
Starmer said: "If he were in my team, he'd be gone. It's utterly appalling."
"The only conclusion is the Tory party has got a problem with Muslims," he added.
'We are not going to surrender'
In his speech later that day, Farage criticised Starmer, saying "the PM defended what happened".
He added: "I'm sorry prime minister, I'm sorry the Conservative Party that let most of these people in.
"We are not going to surrender everything that was built over centuries, defended at great cost in two world wars, for us to be a free independent nation.
"We will not put up with this anymore," Farage said to applause from the crowd.
Middle East Eye put Farage's comments to the mayor's office, which pointed MEE to comments made by Khan yesterday in which he said: "It’s Muslims today, who will it be tomorrow? Jewish people? Who the day after? Hindu people?"
Khan added, "I’m heartbroken, I’m sad, I’m angry, and I can understand why many British Muslims are scared.
"Yes, we’re a Christian country, but Christianity teaches us to love thy neighbour," he said.
Numerous Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Sikh religious events have been held in Trafalgar Square in the past.
Starmer said in parliament: "When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, when I see Hindus celebrating Diwali, when I see Jews celebrating Hannukah live, when I see Christians performing the Passion of Christ or Muslims praying, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country."
'The joy of being British'
Earlier this week, other Reform leaders backed Timothy's position.
"This is unacceptable, imposing such a dominating presence in a public place," complained Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice.
"Surely worship should be in churches or other places such as mosques or synagogues," he said.
"Also where is the gender inclusivity?" he questioned.
Video footage showed women praying separately to the men, as is customary amongst Muslims.
Tice has no record of commenting on gender separated religious rituals in Orthodox Judaism, Sikhism and other traditions.
Many women were seen in other photos of the event, which was not segregated.
But Reform MP Sarah Pochin went further than her colleagues, travelling to Trafalgar Square to film a video of herself condemning what she called a "domineering show of religious authority" that "should not be tolerated".
At the iftar event, Khan told the assembled crowd: "We see the forces of division and darkness pitting communities against each other, trying to cower us and scare us to be less Muslim, to be less Islamic, to make us scared to put our head above the parapet.
"We've shown during this month of Ramadan the power of being a Muslim. The joy of being British."
The event was organised by Ramadan Tent Project, a charity that says it "brings communities together and spreads the spirit of Ramadan".
The project organises iftars at landmarks and cultural institutions around the country.
Ramadan Tent Project says its events are open to the "vulnerable, the homeless, those in need of a community, and anyone else who wished to share food and faith".
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