Montgomery Toms Faces Second Confrontation in Brighton

A public debate in Brighton, England, ended in a confrontation involving British political activist Montgomery Toms on October 10, 2026, when a crowd surrounded him and tore down his tent. The 20-year-old free speech advocate said he was also spat on during the incident, which followed a separate confrontation at Cardiff University three days earlier. According to Hungarian Conservative, Toms shared several videos of the Brighton incident on his X account.

The footage showed mostly young men gathering around him and dismantling the tent he used as a backdrop for discussions with members of the public. Toms had been using these public debates to discuss immigration and national sovereignty. His approach draws comparisons with events organized by the late American conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

In a caption accompanying a video of the alleged spitting incident, Toms said police had identified the person involved and were interviewing him.

"The police have notified me that they have found him [the suspect who allegedly spat on him], and he is being interviewed." Toms said in the caption. The activist also commented on the police response after officers arrived at the Brighton scene. While he expressed approval of their conduct, he criticized the time it took them to reach the location.

"Behaved rather well" Toms said of the law enforcement response. The Brighton confrontation was the second incident involving Toms within a few days. On October 7, he visited Cardiff University in Wales to hold another public debate, where he said he was confronted by a group he identified as members of the activist organization Stand Up to Racism.

Despite that encounter, Toms characterized the Cardiff event as a positive experience overall. He attributed that assessment to support from first-year students who were familiar with his work and helped protect him during the confrontation. The incidents have brought renewed attention to Toms's public activities and political affiliations.

He became politically active during the COVID-19 lockdowns, which he viewed as excessive government intervention, according to the biographical information cited by Hungarian Conservative. In 2025, Toms founded Freedom Watch GB, a civil watchdog and advocacy organization focused on free speech, government accountability and opposition to digital surveillance. The group's official website describes it as "a youth-led movement on the front line of Britain's fight for freedom."

Toms is also associated with Restore Britain, a British right-wing populist party led by MP Rupert Lowe. His recent confrontations in Brighton and Cardiff followed another reported attack involving a young British right-wing activist, Thomas Moffitt, who was injured in Manchester in June.