Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would not "surrender" the Union flag to those who use it to "sow violence, fear and division" after clashes at a large right‑wing rally in central London left dozens of police injured.
Metropolitan Police said 26 officers were hurt, four seriously, and 24 people were arrested for offences including affray, violent disorder, assault and criminal damage after Saturday's "Unite the Kingdom" demonstration, which organisers and police estimated drew between about 110,000 and 150,000 people. The march began largely peacefully with participants expressing anger about free speech and small‑boat crossings in the Channel, but violence erupted when demonstrators and counter‑protesters converged along Whitehall.
Met chiefs described the conduct of some anti‑migrant protesters as a "wholly unacceptable" level of violence and said officers attempting to police the event faced "significant aggression," including being assaulted and struck by missiles. Scotland Yard said inquiries were under way into footage circulating online in which a man appears to call for the assassination of Sir Keir Starmer; no arrests had been made in relation to the clip as of Sunday.
Posting on X, the prime minister said: "People have a right to peaceful protest. It is core to our country's values. But we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the colour of their skin. Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect. Our flag represents our diverse country and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division."
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the scenes and vowed that anyone "taking part in criminal activity will face the full force of the law." A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said officers were continuing to identify and pursue those suspected of violent offences committed during the protest.
The demonstration featured a virtual appearance by Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, who urged protesters to press for urgent change in government and used language that organisers and some ministers said was inflammatory. Business Secretary Peter Kyle called Musk's comments "slightly incomprehensible" and "totally inappropriate," while also noting that more than 100,000 people had turned out to express freedoms of association and speech.
Kyle described the rally as a "klaxon call" for politicians to address public concerns, including immigration, and said the government would seek to "start to bring communities back together again," acknowledging that long‑standing social and economic grievances remain unresolved.
The footage prompting the assassination inquiry was recorded in an interview with former Conservative councillor William Coleshill, according to social media posts showing the exchange. In the recording a man is heard saying: "Keir Starmer needs to be assassinated, someone needs to shoot Keir Starmer," and Coleshill replies that Starmer should be put on trial and "lawfully executed." Scotland Yard said it was "aware of a video circulating on social media" from the protest on Saturday, Sept. 13 in central London and that "enquiries are ongoing to identify a man. No arrests have been made so far."
Lawmakers and senior officials have called for calm and for the police and courts to take appropriate action against those who broke the law. The violence has renewed debate in Westminster over immigration policy and how authorities should manage large demonstrations and the fringe figures who can inflame them.