More than 100,000 demonstrators filled central London on Saturday for a march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, with a much smaller counterprotest held nearby, police said.
Metropolitan Police estimated the crowd for the “Unite the Kingdom” rally at about 110,000 people, while organizers of the rival “March Against Fascism,” coordinated by Stand Up To Racism, put their numbers at roughly 5,000. Officers said more than 1,000 police were on duty and established a buffer zone near the halls of government to prevent direct contact between the two groups.
The larger procession stretched from the area around the Palace of Westminster past Big Ben and across the River Thames, extending near Waterloo station, a distance police described as about three-quarters of a mile (around a kilometer). Participants in the Robinson march carried St. George’s flags and Union Jacks and chanted slogans including “we want our country back.” Some held placards reading “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children.”
Counterprotesters displayed signs saying “refugees welcome” and “smash the far right” and chanted “stand up, fight back.” Police and event stewards sought to keep the groups apart as they moved through central streets. Authorities did not immediately report any major injuries or large-scale disorder connected with Saturday’s demonstrations.
Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, billed the march as a defense of free speech and British heritage. He is a well-known figure on Britain’s far right, having founded the English Defence League and previously serving jail time for assault and mortgage fraud. Robinson was jailed in October after being found in contempt of court for repeating allegations against a Syrian refugee that a 2021 High Court order had barred him from making; he was unable to attend a planned “Unite the Kingdom” rally last year because of that sentence.
The demonstrations come amid a politically charged national debate over migrants crossing the English Channel to reach Britain in small boats. Anti-migrant sentiment has driven a series of protests this summer outside hotels housing asylum-seekers, some of which turned violent and resulted in arrests following the arrest and later conviction of an Ethiopian man for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in a London suburb.
Analysts and politicians have noted an increase in public displays of national flags this year. Supporters at the Robinson march waved English and union flags in visibly large numbers; critics say that the displays can reflect nationalist sentiment, while others describe them as expressions of national pride.
Participants in the larger rally also directed profane chants at Prime Minister Keir Starmer and offered messages of support for U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose recent death was referenced on a placard reading “Freedom of speech is dead. RIP Charlie Kirk.” Robinson had urged his followers ahead of the march not to wear masks, consume alcohol or engage in violence.
Saturday’s crowd, while substantial, was smaller than some recent mass demonstrations in London; a pro-Palestinian rally in November 2023 drew an estimated 300,000 people. Police said they would continue to monitor the situation in central London and review deployments following the events.
Metropolitan Police did not provide further immediate comment beyond the crowd estimates and security measures in place. Organizers for both marches had sought to publicize their positions on social media in the run-up to Saturday’s demonstrations.