London — Central London saw some of its largest street demonstrations in years today as more than 100,000 people gathered for a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. A counter-protest of around 5,000 anti-racism campaigners, led by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), took place just streets away.
The “Unite the Kingdom” rally began at Waterloo before moving towards Whitehall, where Robinson supporters heard speeches from figures including TV presenter Katie Hopkins and, by surprise videolink, tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk urged a “change of government” in Britain, calling for the dissolution of Parliament and fresh elections.
The march was initially calm, with waves of Union flags and St George crosses visible across central London. But by mid-afternoon tensions escalated sharply. Police lines were forced to separate Robinson’s supporters from counter-protesters, and the Metropolitan Police reported “unacceptable violence” against officers.
Bottles, flares and other projectiles were thrown, while officers were punched and kicked as they attempted to hold cordons on Whitehall and around Trafalgar Square. At one point, a glass bottle struck a police horse, causing the animal and rider to stagger backwards.
By early evening, riot police and mounted units were deployed in greater numbers. Nine arrests were made, with the Met warning that further detentions were likely. “Several officers have been assaulted,” the force said in a statement. “When officers moved in to stop the disorder they were met with violence.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the clashes, insisting that “anyone taking part in criminal activity will face the full force of the law.” More than 1,500 officers had been deployed for the operation, including reinforcements from forces in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Devon and Cornwall.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, branded the rally a “freedom of speech festival.” In his speech, he attacked politicians for “parroting” his ideas and claimed British courts prioritised the rights of undocumented migrants over local communities.
The Met had earlier confirmed it would not use live facial recognition technology during the policing operation, but acknowledged “particular concerns” within London’s Muslim communities over Robinson’s record of anti-Muslim rhetoric and chanting at previous demonstrations.
Counter-protesters at the Stand Up To Racism rally heard speeches from prominent figures including independent MP Diane Abbott, who told the crowd: “We know racism and violence and fascism is not new. But you know what? We have always defeated it.”
The Met placed strict limits on both events, ordering Robinson’s march to end at 18:00 and the SUTR protest to conclude by 16:00. By nightfall, Whitehall remained heavily policed as officers moved to disperse stragglers. 25 people are believed to have been arrested.
Robinson was released from prison earlier this year after serving time for contempt of court, following repeated false claims made against a Syrian refugee. His latest rally drew not just his established supporters but high-profile allies including Laurence Fox and Ant Middleton, who marched at the front.
Today’s events underline the heightened political tensions coursing through Britain. What began as a show of force by Robinson’s movement ended in violent confrontations that left officers injured, counter-protesters defiant, and London once again at the centre of a polarised national debate.
