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At both events, people came together, however, whereas one event was defined by joy, the other was defined by anger.
The larger of the two events happened in the centre of London.
There, people gathered under the flag of the far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who prefers to style himself as Tommy Robinson.
There, anger and violence were a prevailing theme, resulting in twenty-six police officers suffering injuries, four seriously so.
And there, Elon Musk appeared via video link and claimed: "Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you.
"You either fight back or you die."
This has been widely interpreted as calling for civil war on the streets of the United Kingdom.
Closer to home, at exactly the same time, another mass participation event was being held in Richmond town centre.
The Centre Stage Richmond festival was the antithesis of the sometimes violent, often hate-filled scenes which were unfolding in the capital.
People of all backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities came together in a real spirit of celebration, allowing not just the town, but the spirit of Richmond to take centre stage as Richmond's George Street and Whittaker Square were brought to life with music, markets, and family activities.
And it was popular, my word, it was popular.
Even though the rain did its best to put a literal dampener on events, still people came out to enjoy the festivities which won praise from local business, local residents and, just as importantly, visitors to Richmond.
The festival programme offered something for all ages: children's workshops, Mercury Prize-winning music performers, shows from the Orange Tree Theatre, skating, sustainable fashion, and a wide range of craft markets and cultural showcases.
Families joined in activities, crowds danced until the very end, and businesses reported a welcome boost from the extra footfall.
And while Centre Stage Richmond was a one-day event, it marks the beginning of a wider programme to help Richmond's town centre thrive.
With the Labour government threatening funding cuts for councils, the Liberal Democrats council will continue to work with the community, local businesses, and partners to ensure every step is realistic, locally shaped, and focused on delivering the greatest impact.
There seems to be little chance of the underlying mood of the country changing anytime soon.
Those who would march under Tommy Robinson's colours are, undoubtedly, in a minority but their voice is being amplified by a compliant print and broadcast media and a lawless social media.
The challenge for those of us who oppose the views and the narrative of those groups is to ensure that the spirit of harmony and joy which events like Centre Stage create doesn't get overwhelmed by spirits of disharmony and violence.