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Hype ↓
08:25 Wednesday 22 July 2026
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22 Jul 2026
Fatboy Slim performed an improvised and free DJ set during a demonstration against the far right in Brighton
And he commented on the whole day like this: "Never been more proud of my hometown. More disco, less fascism."
On June 13, 2026, the far-right group South East Patriots attempted to march through downtown Brighton: “Stop the Boats,” the name of the demonstration organized to demand the closure of borders and the expulsion of irregular migrants. A day born under the worst auspices, with fears of violent clashes in the city center, but which surprisingly turned into a celebration. A considerable part of the credit goes to one of Brighton’s most illustrious citizens: Quentin Leo Cook, also known as Norman Cook, best known as Fatboy Slim, who unexpectedly appeared in front of the train station to improvise a free DJ set, right there in the middle of the street. The musician decided to stand alongside the 4,000 protesters who took to the streets to block the far-right march. He set up his console there and started playing.
The nationalists, already warned by Bella Sankey, leader of the Brighton City Council, found themselves facing a human wall. Sankey had clearly invited the “patriots” to stay away from Brighton, explaining that their message of hate was not welcome in a community that prides itself on diversity and inclusion. More than 20 anti-racist associations united under the banner of the Carnival Against Fascism, occupying Queens Road since 11 in the morning, intending to block the far-right march. Meanwhile, the organization Stand Up to Racism organized another counter-protest, positioning itself outside the train station. The city center was completely paralyzed, and the numerical disparity between the factions proved overwhelming: against just 300 protesters who arrived for the South East Patriots rally, over 4,000 people took to the streets against them. Aten-to-one ratio, practically.
The best comment on the day came from Fatboy Slim himself, in a video posted on his Instagram profile where he is seen celebrating with his fellow citizens: «Never been more proud of my hometown. More disco, less fascism».
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