Roy Larner was filmed hurling racist abuse at a group of protesters. Photo / via Facebook
Roy Larner was filmed hurling racist abuse at a group of protesters. Photo / via Facebook
The "Lion of London Bridge" was caught on camera appearing to spit on a black photographer and ranting about foreigners just weeks before the terror attack, it emerged on Thursday.
Roy Larner, 47, was filmed hurling racist abuse at a group of protesters before claiming he is a member of far-right group National Front, it is alleged.
His mother has since called him "quite a character", but did not seem surprised about his allegedly racist outburst, outside the Arts College in Elephant and Castle, south London.
Larner made headlines when he shouted "F--- you, I'm Millwall" at the London Bridge attackers last month.
During the protest, thought to be several weeks before the London Bridge attack the protesters were holding anti-Brexit and anti-trump placards and chanting: "Hey hey, ho, ho, Trump and May have got to go."
Larner, who was walking his now-ex girlfriend's dogs, approached them and started his tirade.
Then when Larner was photographed he approached a black photographer and directed the abuse at him.
The furious protesters turned towards Larner and repeatedly shouted: "We fight back when the racists attack".
The protesters forced him to retreat and walk away but before leaving he shouted back: "National Front, I'm part of them."
Since the protest Larner's mother Phyllis, 78, from Peckham, south London, has said the Millwall fan will stand up to anyone.
She said: "They said something to Roy about the dogs, when he was taking them for a walk. I was walking to get the bus at the time, it was a good few weeks ago.
"These blokes, about four or five of them said something to Roy and he turned round and you know, he'll stand up to anyone.
"I don't know what they said to him, I was in a hurry and we were not really talking at the time. He was taking the dogs for a walk and was on his way back to his girlfriend's, he gave them a mouthful.
"If he didn't have the dogs, I don't know what he might have done, as you can imagine. He doesn't need a weapon, if you've got a good pair of hands then that is all you need.
"He is certainly quite a character, he can be a bit of a handful."
Larner's injuries. Photo / via Facebook
She added that during London Bridge attack Larner would have died if the police had not arrived.
"Roy is doing alright, I never realised how bad he was stabbed I cannot believe how he got out of it alive," she said. "If the police had not got there in time I do not think he would have survived.
The former girlfriend of the Lion of London Bridge has claimed her daughter's father is not a racist.
Tracy Wicks, 54, did not know about Roy Larner's outburst when he apparently told a black photographer "people like you stink like s--t" while on a dog walk several weeks before the London Bridge attack.
Larner is well known to stand up for himself but it is unlike him to get into a fight when taking the two dogs out for walks, Tracy, who is mother to Roy's daughter, said.
Miss Wicks said: "He takes the dogs out regularly, he is not a racist, not in my experience, you don't know what happened at the time.
"He does take the dogs out, he never mentioned anything about it to me. He's not likely to have got into a fight with the dogs, I don't know what had happened before though, I wasn't there.
