Homelessness charity Centrepoint has said it will cut ties with its celebrity ambassador Sharon Osbourne after she expressed support for a far-right rally being organized by Tommy Robinson.
The charity, whose patron is the Prince of Wales, has distanced itself from the comments made by Osbourne. The TV personality hinted this week she would attend an event in London organized by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
On an Instagram post about the “Unite the Empire” rally, Osbourne’s official account left a comment saying: “See you in the march.”
In response, Centrepoint, which had recently appointed Osbourne as an ambassador for a campaign, said: “This type of event is not in line with our values.”
It said: “Centrepoint has a proud history of supporting young people, no matter their background, ethnicity or religion. If we want young people to thrive in this country, we must ensure that our society continues to allow them to live without fear and are able to access the opportunities they need to start an education or work and leave homelessness behind.”
The charity expressed its gratitude to Osbourne for supporting its Omaze campaign, which raised funds by selling entries for a sweepstakes-style draw to win a £5m house overlooking Lake Windermere along with £250,000 cash.
“While Sharon supported us in this campaign, for which she was referred to as an ambassador as is standard for Omaze prize draws, she is not an official ambassador for Centrepoint and we have no plans to work together in the future,” it said.
Robinson, who is keen to receive endorsements from celebrities, celebrated Osbourne’s support for the May 16 rally.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 people took to the streets last September for the “Unite the State” rally, which was believed to be the largest far-right rally of its kind in British history.
In addition to several extremist speakers appearing on stage, the event was addressed remotely by Elon Musk, who was condemned by Downing Street for using “dangerous and inflammatory” language.
“Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight or you die, I think that’s the truth,” Musk said at the event.
The Metropolitan Police has been accused of giving preferential treatment to this year’s far-right demonstration over a pro-Palestinian protest in London on the same day. A Met spokesperson said decisions on the demonstrations were based not on political affiliation but on security.
Osbourne has been contacted for comment.
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