Two very different gatherings took place across Liverpool today15:41, 04 Jul 2026Updated 16:39, 04 Jul 2026Krishna Kripa DasA small anti-immigration protest on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre was eclipsed by a celebration of faith, music and community that drew 150 people into the heart of the city. Earlier today, Saturday, July 4, around 50 self-proclaimed protesters gathered outside the Royal Oak pub on County Road before setting off towards the city centre under a significant police presence, including mounted officers.As they marched, some chanted slogans at a handful of counter-protesters, while one demonstrator carried a St George’s flag bearing the words “Send them back”. Retired social worker Silé Macraghnaill, 72, said local people were “fed up” with scenes like these.But the small demonstration was soon overshadowed by a very different atmosphere unfolding just a short distance away. Around 150 people lined the streets for the Hare Krishna Festival of Chariots, a vibrant celebration that filled Church Street with colour, music and dancing.Beginning at 12.30pm, the annual procession featured a beautifully decorated chariot, joyful mantra chanting, traditional dancing and free vegetarian meals, creating an atmosphere of warmth and welcome across the city centre.The main part of the parade took place in and around Church StreetThe festival reflects the growth of Liverpool’s Hare Krishna community after a small group of monks from Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford – the temple donated by George Harrison – came to Merseyside around 18 months ago to establish a community and share opportunities for spiritual practice.The Hare Krishnas are devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, founded in New York in 1966 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Followers believe Krishna is the Supreme Lord and seek to cultivate lives centred on compassion, devotion and love.Among those in attendance was Krishna Kripa Das. The American flew over from Paris, where he currently lives, to attend the festival. He told the ECHO: “We just want everyone here to feel happy. We are all children of God, there are no borders and we are all equal.”Alongside him was Elizabeth Varga, whose spiritual name is Hari Nama which means touch stone. She travelled from London to celebrate, something she has been doing for 35 years.She said: “Everyone is poking at each other, but we’re all fishermen and we’re all fishing together. The different religions can throw a massive spanner in the works and create chaos within Christianity, but God consciousness creates harmony.”A lot of people are falling down because they are serving something else. Today is about celebrating the love of the universe.”Krishna Hari Nama, a name that means ‘touch stone’Pancha Tattva Das, 25, who lives with other members of the community at the Inner Guru community centre in Walton, spoke to the ECHO about his beliefs ahead of the festival.Explaining what drew him into the faith, Pancha said: ”When I was around 18, I moved to London as an aspiring musician. But I found more and more that it wasn’t really where I wanted to put my energy in life.”It wasn’t fully satisfying, so I was getting more and more involved in meditation, spiritual practices and looking at religion. And then when I came across the Hare Krishna community, everything just seemed to coalesce. There’s the community, there’s the philosophy, there’s the meditation, and the music as well.“I studied theology at university because I wanted to understand more about different traditions. I went to live in the temple for a few months as a trial, and I just really resonated with the way of life.”Pancha says many people still don’t know much about Hare Krishnas, but those close to him have noticed how the community has changed him. He said: ”Lack of knowledge is one thing. Many people just have no idea what it is.The Hare Krishna Festival of Chariots in Liverpool, 2025(Image: Supplied)“But my family and my friends have really seen me grow, and they’re very supportive. Ultimately, with people who love you, they want to see you happy, and when they see that, they become very curious themselves.”The idea for expanding their base in the city and hosting more events was sparked with a question asked by a woman. Pancha said: “We used to always travel around the UK, meeting different people, teaching, distributing books. We always found Liverpool had such incredible energy and we’d always have the best response in Liverpool.“There was one particular day when one lady said, ‘George has given you a whole temple, but what have you done for Liverpool?’ And so the seed was planted. At the end of 2024, a group of us moved here. Initially it was three monks. Now it’s expanded to six.”
Love festival draws 150 people as small protest heads to city
