A right-wing “Change My Mind” rally drew crowds and mixed reactions at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) as part of a wider tour across the city.
Led by 17-year-old activist Thomas Moffitt, known online as @YoungBobBRB and linked to Project Britannia, the rally featured bold statements on banners, including calls to ban abortion and claims that the LGBTQIA+ community is “mentally ill”.
The group later moved on to Piccadilly Gardens, engaging the public in debate around political and cultural issues.
“I founded it (Project Britannia) with a few other Christians, then it sort of diversified into a political project to talk about things that no one else is talking about, even in the right-wing space, and that includes issues like abortion and degenerate culture,” Moffit said.
“It’s political tribalism. We don’t know what our brothers and sisters believe in or why they believe certain things. As soon as we tighten that gap, it leads to more healthy discussions.
“I most certainly gain inspiration from Charlie Kirk, but I don’t want to Americanise British politics.”
“I don’t affiliate myself with the manosphere or any other controversial figures in right-wing British politics. I’m just myself.
“I’ve been doing this for the past two years… there are certain areas of the country I physically can’t go into without being physically assaulted or having things thrown at me but I’m not going to capitulate ground simply because people disagree with me,” he added.
MMU student Tyler Diablo, a drama and theatre student, said the rally quickly caught his attention.
“The rally caught my attention straight away,”
He chose not to engage, adding: “It just felt like a waste of breath trying to argue with him.”
Tyler said the format felt more like online content than genuine discussion.
“It just feels like it’s all about clicks and attention. It’s just rage bait,” Diablo added.
He also suggested the setting may not have worked in the organiser’s favour.
“I don’t think UK students care as much about what a right-wing grifter has to say, MMU has a big population of very liberal, Green Party leaning students,”
“In my opinion, it works more in America because people are quite reactionary. I don’t really think UK students actually care that much.”
Manchester local Sharon Osahuewen said it was the controversial nature of the signs that drew people in.
“It was the statements that made more and more people gather,” she said.
She described the rally as part of a wider trend of online-driven political content.
“He’s getting material out of every interaction. More views, more clicks, more shares. Controversy pays online,” she said.
Osahuewen also raised concerns about the topics being debated.
“I don’t understand how people, particularly men, feel they have the authority to speak on women’s bodies. At the end of the day, a woman’s body is her own,” she said.
“These provocative topics shouldn’t still be up for debate. They’ve been debated for a long time. We should be moving on to more pressing issues.”
She also questioned the intent behind the setup of the rally.
“It didn’t feel like a real discussion – it felt like we were watching something being filmed,”
“This guy, in my eyes, is part of the same pipeline as other toxic figureheads and he’s clearly been influenced in that sense. He wants to do his own thing, but he’s only 17. I didn’t even realise he was that young,” she added.
Despite criticism on the ground, Moffitt has built a growing online presence, with supporters praising his content and defending his message in comment sections.
Live-streams and posts featuring his debates regularly attract engagement, with followers encouraging his activism and sharing clips across platforms.
The MMU rally highlights the growing crossover between online political content and real-world spaces, raising questions about free speech, influence, and the role of universities in hosting controversial debate.