London witnessed a significant anti-immigration demonstration on Saturday, which ranks among the largest protests in recent British history. The march, organized under the banner of anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson, drew over 100,000 participants. The event was marred by clashes and resulted in the arrest of several individuals.
The ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march, spearheaded by Robinson, was attended by an estimated 110,000 people, according to police reports. A separate ‘Stand Up To Racism’ counter-protest, which saw approximately 5,000 attendees, was held nearby.
The protest, led by right-wing figure Tommy Robinson, escalated when a portion of his supporters engaged in confrontations with police who were attempting to control the crowd. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that several police officers were attacked during the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally, with some sustaining injuries.
Over 1,000 police officers were already on duty, and additional units equipped with riot gear were deployed to assist. Authorities made at least nine arrests, and investigations are ongoing to identify further offenders. The police estimate was that around 110,000 people joined Robinson’s march, in comparison to the approximately 5,000 who participated in the ‘March Against Fascism,’ organized by Stand Up To Racism.
Following the attacks on police, additional forces were deployed, including officers wearing protective gear and mounted units to help regain order. Protesters were seen wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ hats and protesting against Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Signs bearing messages such as ‘Send them home’ were also observed.
The march started with demonstrations outside hotels housing migrants across Britain, where participants displayed Union Jack flags and the red-and-white St. George’s Cross. Some participants also displayed American and Israeli flags. Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded the English Defence League and is a well-known figure in the UK’s right-wing politics. The event was presented as a demonstration in support of free speech.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of X, recently commented on the situation via video, expressing his concerns about large-scale, unchecked immigration and its perceived negative impacts on Britain.