Far-right march forces cancellation of Swansea children’s procession

Emily Price 

A children’s procession through Swansea city centre has been cancelled after a far-right march led by a convicted criminal was announced for the same day and location.

A 100-foot Future Generations Tapestry for Nature, created by children from local schools and Bonymaen Community Centre, was due to be carried through the city this Saturday (September 19) before being formally presented to the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes.

The event was organised by Protect Our Green Spaces Wales and was planned as a peaceful, family-friendly celebration of nature, green spaces and the future of Wales.

The tapestry is made up of fabric squares created by children, with each square representing their vision of the natural world they want to grow up in.

However, far-right group ‘United Front Swansea’ led by anti-Muslim activist Mathew James Roper, real name Mathew James Thomas, has planned to stage a march past Swansea’s main mosque and through the multicultural heart of the city on the same day.

Wales Online previously reported in 2021 how Thomas was sent to prison after he lost his temper and “deliberately drove into a wall with his young daughter sat beside him inside the car”.

The court heard how Thomas also led police on a 100mph chase from Llanelli to Swansea weeks after he was disqualified from driving.

When the far-right figure eventually stopped his car, officers found a quantity of cannabis and a cannabis grinder.

In court, he admitted to two counts of dangerous driving, criminal damage, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, assaulting an emergency worker, possession of a bladed article, and possession of cannabis.

The judge noted that Thomas had “great difficulty” in controlling his temper and sentenced him to 18 months in prison.

At the time Thomas already had 13 previous convictions for 25 offences including for, burglary, taking a vehicle without consent, driving while disqualified and possession of Class A, B, and C drugs.

In a recent video he lashed out at social media users, that had uncovered news reports of his crimes online.

In the video published to Facebook, he said: “I never said I haven’t committed crimes, but one thing I can tell you is, and one thing my ex-partner will tell you as well if you ever want to get in touch with her – that baby was never in the car going through that wall.

“Trust me it weren’t. But I did drive the car through the wall, yeah fucking right I did yeah!

“And I served a sentence for it too, if you really want to get into it all.

“So, guys if you don’t want to follow me, unclick, unlike, and fuck off.

“Because I still don’t like the Muslims. I still don’t like Palestine and I still don’t like the fucking lefties.”

In another video message published earlier this week publicising his upcoming march in Swansea, Thomas said the future of Welsh children was going to be “crap” because “immigrants” were being “planted” in amongst “students, environments and estates”.

He said: “United Front of Swansea, let’s get together as the Welsh resilient men we are, we are strong men.

“Do you know what, we fought so much, so much, World War I, World War II, if they want World War III we will take it to them.”

Later in the video he warned that if he couldn’t convince other activists to “take a stand”, everybody would “have to run by Sharia law” or “convert to Muslim” or “go to God in heaven”.

Anti-racism groups and activists have announced they will carry out counter protests against Thomas’ demonstration which has been described as “an attempt to whip up Islamophobia”.

The Children’s Commissioner said she was “deeply disappointed” that the children’s event had been postponed as a result of the far-right gathering.

Ms Cifuentes added she remained fully supportive of the project and looked forward to receiving the tapestry when the event is rearranged.

Gŵyr Abertawe Member of the Senedd Gwyn Williams who was due to speak at the event, said safety concerns meant the children’s procession could not go ahead.

He said: “I was looking forward to attending the event to celebrate green spaces in our city that are vital for our health and well-being.

“The threat of a far-right march has now derailed this important event, but safety comes first and it would be wrong to carry on when there is a threat from those with nefarious agendas that wish our society harm.”

Sarah Glover, manager of Bonymaen Kids Play Initiative, whose children made squares for the tapestry, said: “We feel very sad and disappointed that the children won’t get the opportunity to see their art-work presented this weekend.”

Although the procession has been cancelled, organisers say the tapestry will still go on public display.

The children will instead take it directly to the Children’s Commissioner’s office and to the Senedd.

Dr S. Lyle of Protect Our Green Spaces Wales said: “The children made a Future Generations Tapestry for Nature in response to Wales’ commitment to future generations through the Well-being of Future Generations Act and the Nature Recovery Action Plan 2026.

“They were going to carry it through their own city and present their hopes for the future.

“It is deeply troubling that a peaceful family-friendly event about nature, green spaces and the future of Wales has had to be cancelled.

“The far-right has stopped that message by threatening the peace of our civic spaces.

“The tapestry will still be seen. The children’s voices will be heard.”

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