Paul Golding

Semantic Summary

Leader of Britain First, the far-right political party known for anti-Islam street patrols, "Christian patrol" stunts, and mosque invasions. Served time for religiously aggravated harassment. Organises national marches. Declining influence but still active in the far-right demo circuit. T2/T3/T5 — mobiliser operating at the intersection of street movements, fringe party politics, and social media content. Connected to the broader anti-immigration protest network and overlaps with the auditor scene.

Overview

Role: Leader of Britain First
Nationality: British
Known For: Britain First leadership; anti-Islam demonstrations; mosque invasions; national marches

Background

Paul Golding is the longtime leader of Britain First, a fringe far-right political party formed in 2011 by former BNP members. The group gained notoriety for "Christian patrols" through Muslim-majority areas and mosque invasions livestreamed on social media. Golding has multiple criminal convictions including for religiously aggravated harassment. At its peak, Britain First had a significant Facebook presence before being banned from the platform. The group's influence has declined since the mid-2010s but Golding continues to organise national marches and maintains a presence in the far-right protest ecosystem.

Tier Classification

Tier 2 — Mobiliser: organises street-level movements, capitalising on social crises
Tier 3 — Fringe political party leader seeking electoral viability
Tier 5 — Content creator pipeline: events translate into viral digital content

Affiliations

Britain First (leader)
Connected to broader anti-Islam protest network
Overlaps with auditor/Youtube far-right scene at demonstrations
Historical BNP links

Sources

Session history: prior Hermes research on UK far-right ecosystem
Britain First coverage in Searchlight / HOPE not Hate