By Vitalii Yalahuzian and Yann Tessier
LONDON (Reuters) – More than 100,000 protesters marched through central London on Saturday, carrying flags of England and Britain, in one of the biggest right-wing demonstrations of modern times in the UK, organised by the anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson.
Police said Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” march was attended by around 110,000 people, who were kept apart from a “Stand Up to Racism” counter protest nearby attended by around 5,000.
Officers had to intervene in multiple locations to stop Unite the Kingdom protesters trying to access “sterile areas” between the two protests, breach police cordons or get to opposing groups, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
A number of officers had been assaulted and additional officers had been deployed with protective equipment, supported by police horses, the force added in a statement issued while the march was still under way.
The march brought a culmination to a highly charged summer in Britain that has seen protests staged outside hotels housing migrants.
Demonstrators carried the Union flag of Britain and the red and white St George’s Cross of England, while others brought American and Israeli flags and wore the MAGA hats of U.S. President Donald Trump. They chanted slogans critical of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and carried placards including some saying “send them home”. Some attendees brought children.
‘WE BELIEVE IN TOMMY’
Robinson has billed the Unite the Kingdom march as a celebration of free speech. Activists also mourned Charlie Kirk, the American conservative activist shot dead on Wednesday.
“Hundreds of thousands already pack the streets of central London as we Unite as one for our freedoms,” Robinson said on X.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, describes himself as a journalist exposing state wrongdoing and counts U.S. billionaire Elon Musk among his supporters. Britain’s biggest anti-immigrant political party, Reform UK, which has topped opinion polls in recent months, has kept its distance from Robinson, who has several criminal convictions.
“We want our country back, we want our free speech back on track,” said Sandra Mitchell, a supporter attending the rally.
“They need to stop illegal migration into this country,” she said. “We believe in Tommy.”
Police said they would have more than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday, including 500 brought in from other forces. In addition to policing the two demonstrations, the London force is stretched by high-profile soccer matches and concerts.
“We will approach them as we do any other protests, policing without fear or favour, ensuring people can exercise their lawful rights but being robust in dealing with incidents or offences should they occur,” said Commander Clair Haynes, who is leading the policing operation.
Haynes said police were aware of a record of “anti-Muslim rhetoric and incidents of offensive chanting by a minority” at previous protests, but said London’s communities should not feel like they had to stay at home.
Last Saturday, nearly 900 people were arrested at a London demonstration against a ban on protest group Palestine Action.
Immigration has become the dominant political issue in Britain, eclipsing concerns over a faltering economy, as the country faces a record number of asylum claims. More than 28,000 migrants have arrived in small boats across the Channel so far this year.
Red and white English flags have proliferated along streets and been painted on roads. Supporters call it a spontaneous campaign of national pride, but anti-racism campaigners see a message of hostility to foreigners.
(Writing by by James Davey and Kate Holton; Editing by Jan Harvey and Peter Graff)
