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A presenter on Rupert Murdoch’s Talk station, who also operates as a pro-Trump YouTube pundit, appeared before Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, after being charged with assault against a climate activist.
The case revolves around an incident at the Republicans Overseas gala dinner at Windsor Guildhall on 16 September 2025, during Donald Trump’s state visit, after which Thames Valley Police charged co-organiser André Walker, 47, of Hatch Lane, Windsor, on 25 February with assault by beating.
Walker has presented dozens of shows on Talk since then and the channel’s owner – the Murdoch-owned News UK – has failed to respond to requests for comment.
The alleged assault was against Fossil Free London activist and medical doctor Dr Kush Naker.
Judgment has been withheld until 13 August, with Mr Walker released on unconditional bail. Byline Times was the first to cover the incident and the trial.
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Addressing the court, Ms Chung for the prosecution noted Mr Walker has published YouTube videos commenting on the case and suggesting he would bring a private prosecution against the police officer involved: “The defendant has published various forms of media content. Specifically videos on his YouTube channel, discussing the case, discussing the officer of the case, the investigations”. Mr Walker interrupted to claim: “That’s not true”.
In one video shown in court, Mr Walker says: “Thames Valley Police did not like the fact that I defended the state visit of President Donald Trump against a terrorist attack and are doing me for assault.”
Mr Walker has claimed in videos that one of Trump’s lawyers flew over to help pick his legal team, selecting Daniel Burke – apparently “paid by Elon Musk” – to work for Tommy Robinson’s cases – and Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC, the former Lord Chancellor and Conservative Justice Secretary, funded by donations to his “Patriot Fund”: “We’ve spent it hiring…the right honourable Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC”.
Mr Walker’s defence noted the incident was initially treated as a public order case – the suggestion being police were called to deal with the protestors. That characterisation was disputed by the prosecution, Dr Naker and a Guildhall witness. The assault allegation followed a fresh complaint on 20 September 2025.
Dr Naker’s Evidence
Dr Naker, a climate campaigner and NHS doctor, gave evidence first. Tickets to the dinner, which Mr Walker helped organise, were sold publicly. He and Fossil Free London’s Robin Wells bought tickets, and during the dinner, walked to the front of the room, where Ms Wells gave a speech on the climate crisis. Dr Naker joined her, holding a banner reading “Oily Money Kills” and chanting. Asked whether there was any intention of escalating into violence, he said “No”.
Dr Naker, who did not know who Mr Walker was at the time, told the court: “[André] Walker came up and grabbed me by the arm, and I fell to the ground…They dragged me out of the room, through the lobby area, and across into a second room, then closed the door behind them”.
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In that room, he said, “I was on the ground…André Walker ended up being on top of me, essentially kneeling over me…He started trying to punch me and strangle me”. He grabbed Mr Walker’s wrists: “He was trying to apply force…trying to strangle as well as punch…I was trying to resist him”. Mr Walker also tried to “knee me in the groin”, he said. Mr Walker denies all of it.
The struggle lasted a minute to a minute and a half, according to Dr Naker; a witness put it closer to five. Mr Walker then told him: “I’m almost 50, what are you doing?” Dr Naker left via an external staircase with minor injuries: “The left side of my jaw was sore…I had some blood on my shirt.” Mr Walker contacted Fossil Free London straight afterwards asking for someone to come on his Talk show, and was rebuffed.
Prosecuting lawyer Ms Chung played footage of Mr Walker dragging Dr Naker out of the dining hall. In video recorded afterwards, Dr Naker tells Mr Walker “You tried your f*cking best to kick me in the balls”, with Mr Walker responding “I’m nearly 50…I’m exhausted…I’m nearly 50 for goodness sake”. Dr Naker said he expected security to ask him to leave, not to be “dragged out and assaulted”.
Sir Robert Buckland KC disputed that his client had targeted Dr Naker because of his race (Dr Naker is Asian), as had been suggested shortly after the incident. Mr Walker has claimed in videos the protest was a “terrorist attack”.
Sir Robert suggested Dr Naker fell to the ground and made himself heavy to be harder to remove, which Dr Naker rejected. He said Dr Naker had used “subterfuge” and “deception” to get in, and accused him of being a “professional protestor”. Dr Naker replied: “It’s not my job.”
