When a Religious March at Webb House in Crewe Went Viral
- Sermad Al-Khafaji
- 2 days ago
- 10 min read
A video depicting an organised march at Webb House commemorating the Festival of the Will has gone viral, causing controversy and outrage on social media. The video, uploaded on a TikTok account by what appears to be a neighbour living next door to Webb House, has been shared and reshared, and even picked up by notorious right wing influencer Tommy Robinson a.k.a. Steven Yaxley-Lennon, who tweeted about it on X.
Behind the Viral Video
Every year, on the 23rd of January, believers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) from all around the world come together to celebrate the foundation of their religion. Last year, on the tenth anniversary of the appearance of the twelfth Imam from the family of Mohammed, a huge fireworks event took place at the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light headquarters in Crewe, UK. This commemoration was documented in three video productions from AROPL Studios and uploaded to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light YouTube channel.
The first was a twenty-minute Opening Ceremony for the Festival of the Will, where balloons were launched in the air with a message tied to them promoting The Mahdi has Appeared channel on YouTube. The second was a documentary entitled “10-Year Anniversary of the Appearance of the Mahdi,” a summary of activities over the past decade of the call. The final video produced by AROPL Studios was a two-hour recording of a pivotal speech by Abdullah Hashem, the Riser of the Family of Mohammed. This speech was followed by a ceremony awarding supporters of the Riser certificates of citizenship of the Divine Just State. The evening culminated with a march for the raising of the Black Banners of “Allegiance is to Allah.”
This year, in 2026, the believers at Webb House headquarters took inspiration from the 2025 Remembrance March and Service, in which they had participated. A beautiful way to pay respect to something so highly revered and to commemorate it in a highly organised manner. Supporters of the Qa’im took to practising at Webb House for several weeks before the day of the march itself, Sunday, 18 January.
What Really Happened at Webb House
On Sunday, 18 January 2026, believers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light at Webb House in Crewe organised a disciplined march to commemorate the Festival of the Will. The event was designed as a solemn, coordinated tribute to one of the central articles of their faith: the Holy Will of Prophet Mohammed, in which his successors are named.
In preparation, around 100 men spent several weeks practising their formations so the march would be dignified and precise. On the day itself, the men gathered in formation and rehearsed until just after noon. They resumed to organise themselves in formation for final practice at 1:30 p.m., before beginning the march at 2 p.m. in high spirits. Their intention was simple: to honour the Will that underpins their entire religion and to proclaim, clearly but peacefully, the names of the successors mentioned within it.
This Will has long been buried in the books of the Muslims for centuries without anyone paying it much attention until Ahmed Al-Hassan publicly declared himself to be the Ahmed mentioned in it, commanded to do so by Mohammed ibn Al-Hassan Al-Askary, the twelfth Imam, in 1999. Since then, it has been the subject of controversy and debate in the Muslim world, especially during confrontations between Muslim scholars or clerics and the supporters of the Mahdi. Abdullah Hashem came forth in 2015 to declare himself the Abdullah mentioned in the Will publicly, commanded to do so by Ahmed Al-Hassan, thus beginning the rise of the Riser with the black banner of “Allegiance is to Allah.”
For believers, the yearly Festival of the Will and the associated march are a direct, living connection and commitment to that monumental declaration. It is this testament and its incredible significance which the believers in the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light seek to celebrate annually and to proclaim its truth.
Escalation, Hate and Documented Persecution
On Sunday, 18 January, as this crucial article of faith, the Holy Will of Prophet Mohammed, was being celebrated in this unique and powerful tribute, some neighbours became alerted by the sound of 100 men marching in unison and declaring their faith by calling out some of the names mentioned in the Will together, in one voice. A video was put together and uploaded to TikTok on the same day, 18 January. By 19 January, it had generated over 650,000 views with a large variety of comments expressing different theories, assumptions and opinions. It was now beginning to circulate among certain far-right circles with aggressive rhetoric encouraging action against the religion and its members.
Tommy Robinson, a notorious far right vocal activist, picked up the video and posted it on his X account, spreading it deeper into far‑right networks with calls for action. The original TikTok post has now exceeded 1.3 million views, and that number continues to rise. Tommy Robinson, also known as Steven Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, is known for anti-Islam campaigning in the UK and former involvement in the English Defence League (EDL), which he founded in 2009 with his cousin Kevin Carroll. It is widely reported that he has been prosecuted on numerous occasions for various criminal activities. His criminal record includes convictions for violence, financial, and immigration frauds, possession of drugs, and public order offences. He has served at least three separate custodial sentences: in 2005 for assault, in 2012 for using false travel documents and in 2014 for mortgage fraud.
This development raises serious concerns: when a figure like Tommy Robinson, widely perceived to be a leader for the far-right extremist movement, makes a post targeting a group through ignorance, it brings a spike in negative rhetoric. This leads to threatening and potentially violent activity, in particular from far-right groups. Given Robinson’s track record of anti‑Islam activism, criminal convictions and repeated involvement in inflammatory campaigns, his intervention naturally fuels hostility. One of the great fears this generates is an escalation of past incidents against the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.
This wave of attention is far from isolated. In early 2023, smaller right-wing YouTube channels filmed at the gates of Webb House, portraying it as a “migrant hotel” and triggering a tide of hate comments and threats, despite the claim later being shown to be false. The backlash from even one misleading ten-minute video with under 25,000 views, was false rhetoric and incitement to violence.
In 2025, articles published in mainstream British newspapers, including The Guardian, misled the public by claiming that the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, operating from its worldwide headquarters in Crewe, is a cult. The source of this accusation was discredited material from a little-known, self-proclaimed cult hunter named Be Scofield, whose claims were never verified or fact-checked by the outlets that repeated them. The Guardian professes the motto "Comment is free, but facts are sacred," yet in its coverage of Webb House and the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, turned this principle on its head, favouring sensationalism over factual integrity, amplifying unproven "cult" labels from unreliable sources while disregarding AROPL’s consistent statements of peace and its well-documented history of persecution, recognised by the UN and Amnesty International. The double standard of The Guardian is glaring: facts are only "sacred" when they fit a comfortable narrative. When targeting an unfamiliar minority like AROPL, they become expendable for clickbait headlines that endanger lives.
Since that coverage, experts on cults and new religious movements, such as Rosita Soryte have challenged and debunked the original source cited by these publications, but much damage was already done. A new wave of harassment followed, which falsely proclaimed to the world that the religion was a cult operating freely in Crewe. Various content creators seeking sensational footage made intrusive visits, with some resorting to flying drones over the property without consent or notification, to "expose" what they believed was a cult.
On the ground, the consequences have been serious. In 2024, masked youths appeared at Webb House carrying machetes, clearly intent on intimidation and creating fear in the inhabitants and personnel there. In 2025, after the “cult” articles were published, Webb House saw a spike in anger-fuelled demonstrations of aggression from groups of youths on electric bikes launching projectiles and, on numerous occasions, fireworks and other pyrotechnics at the gates with intention to hurt someone on the property. These hooligans often appeared at night wearing balaclavas and other face masks, with a clear intention of intimidation driving them to persist over several months, always shouting expletives and specifically the word “cult” in obvious imitation of the language pushed by hostile coverage.
With there being children and families regularly hosted at Webb House, there is anxiety that the next wave of attention generated by these misleading social media posts may result in injuries. As a consequence, law enforcement have been alerted and are on heightened alert regarding this situation. They have expressed concern, encouraging additional security measures for the foreseeable future and recognising the genuine risk of escalation sparked by far‑right incitement and misinformed local hostility. In response, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light has strengthened security measures and made all personnel aware of the impending dangers as part of their duty to protect families, staff and visitors against threats created by others.
The British Double Standard on Marches
Where the hypocrisy becomes impossible to ignore is that Britain regularly accommodates large, very visible religious and political marches, often in the heart of its cities.
Shia Muharram and Ashura processions, for example, have long taken place in London, with roads closed and police facilitating thousands of marchers. These processions are not only permitted but actively protected, even when they include extreme practices such as tatbir, self-flagellation with blades or chains that draws blood and causes visible injury, in highly public, central locations. Thousands routinely march from Marble Arch, performing intense chest-beating or bloodletting, while security ensures the events proceed smoothly and peacefully. Even when such marches attract criticism from some commentators, authorities work with organisers, issue permits, and treat them as legitimate expressions of faith.
Similarly, Christian groups like the King’s Army have marched near Buckingham Palace proclaiming that “Jesus is Lord over England,” explicitly advocating the idea that Jesus, not the monarch, should be recognised as king. Videos show large crowds, banners, amplified preaching, and clear theological messages in front of one of the most symbolically sensitive sites in the country. These events are celebrated within Christian media as signs of a “spiritual shift,” not treated as threats to public order.
In contrast, at Webb House, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light held an orderly march on its own private grounds, without occupying public roads or engaging the public. No calls for violence were made, in fact, the participants explicitly reaffirmed the movement’s peaceful stance and opposition to injustice. Yet a short, context‑less video showing men in black walking in formation was enough for far‑right agitators and some local voices to label it sinister “training,” “militia” or “cult” behaviour.
When Shia processions draw blood at Marble Arch or Christians proclaim "Jesus is King" before Buckingham Palace, such acts are framed as passionate religious expression. Yet a peaceful march by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light on private grounds, with no disruption or harm, goes viral as "militant training" or a "cult parade." The double standard is glaring.
If thousands can block central London for Ashura or proclaim divine kingship before Buckingham Palace, then a small community marching on its own property to honour the Prophet’s Will should not be vilified or singled out as dangerous. When one group’s expressions of faith are accommodated and even celebrated, while another’s are turned into viral “evidence” of extremism, that is not concern for safety, it is a double standard.
The Cost to Real People
The reaction to the Webb House march lays bare a deeper hypocrisy. The same individuals who claim to defend Britain and British values: free speech, free assembly, freedom of religion, are often the first to demand crackdowns when those freedoms are exercised by a group they dislike. When masked youths with machetes and fireworks appear at the gates, it is not the marchers in Webb House endangering British society, but those who have been whipped into a frenzy by misleading videos, sensational headlines, and calculated demonisation.
It is also telling that those currently stoking fear about Webb House show little interest in the documented reality: families and children are regularly present there, and the group has consistently declared its commitment to peace, humanity and justice. Local interviews with Aba Al-Sadiq, the leader of AROPL, highlight his desire to work with the community, help those in need regardless of background, and to unite rather than divide. None of that is reflected in the viral clips or inflammatory captions circulating online.
If Britain truly values its principles, then all peaceful religious marches, Shia, Christian, Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, or otherwise, must be protected and treated with the same basic respect, or none of them should be. Selective outrage, fuelled by ignorance and bigotry, has already placed children and families in Crewe at risk. The hope is that this year, named by Aba Al‑Sadiq “The Year of Ability and Miracles,” becomes not only a test of the believers’ patience and courage, but also a test for Britain itself: will it uphold its own principles, or continue to tolerate a two‑tier system where some faiths may march proudly, while others are vilified for simply walking on their own land?
Victory in the Year of Miracles
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light stands unbowed, its principled march at Webb House a beacon of disciplined faith that no viral lie, far-right agitator or hypocritical headline can extinguish. While others spill blood in public streets or claim divine kingship before palaces, it is AROPL's solemn tribute on private ground, affirming peace and allegiance to God alone, that ignites panic and provokes hysteria, branded as "militant cult training." This exposes the true nature of the outrage: fear. Fear of a rising light that challenges comfortable narratives and calls humanity to its highest creed, "Humanity First."
Last year, facts replaced by sensationalism brought machetes and fireworks to our gates. Yet AROPL stands unshaken. Every threat forges another miracle, every act of hatred only amplifies the sacred call, “Allegiance is to God.”
This year, 2026, decreed by Aba Al-Sadiq as "The Year of Ability and Miracles," dawns not in defeat but in divine momentum, with the black banners rising higher and reaching ever farther across the world.
As the Riser advances, humanity awakens. Join the light, or watch it triumph.
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