Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he would "never surrender" the Union flag to those who seek to use it "as a symbol of violence, fear and division" after a far-right rally in central London drew tens of thousands of people and was marked by clashes with counter-protesters and police.
More than 150,000 people joined the "Unite the Kingdom" march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, while about 5,000 took part in a counter-protest coordinated by Stand Up To Racism, police and organisers said. The Metropolitan Police reported 26 officers were injured during the day, including four who were seriously hurt, and 24 people were arrested.
"People have a right to peaceful protest. It is core to our country's values," Starmer said, adding that the government would not tolerate assaults on officers or people being intimidated on the streets "because of their background or the colour of their skin." He said the flag represented "our diverse country" and must not be surrendered to those who turn it into a symbol of division.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said on Sunday that those who marched were exercising "freedom of association and freedom of speech," but also described the events as a "klaxon call" for politicians to address public concerns, including on immigration. Kyle told the BBC that figures such as Robinson were able to tap into a sense of disquiet and grievance in the community and said the small minority who committed violence would be held to account.
The Metropolitan Police deployed around 1,000 officers for the events. Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said there was "no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence." Police said mounted officers used batons to push back crowds after protesters became too big to fit into Whitehall and sought to encircle counter-protesters.
The violence intensified as the afternoon progressed, the Met said, with some officers attacked while seeking to keep the groups apart. Officers were reported to have been kicked and punched. Three of the 24 people arrested were women; the force said the youngest and oldest people detained were aged 19 and 58 respectively. Several people were arrested for more than one offence.
In the immediate aftermath, the Met said officers would work to identify others involved in disorder with a view to bringing further arrests "in the coming days and weeks." The force also confirmed it had not used live facial recognition cameras during the day. The technology has previously been described by Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley as a "game-changing tool" and has been used at other major events.
The protests drew international attention after tech billionaire Elon Musk appeared via video link and told the crowd to "fight back" or "die," comments that Kyle described as "slightly incomprehensible" and "totally inappropriate." Musk also referenced concerns about migration and called for a change of government in the United Kingdom.
Officials said the policing operation sought to balance the right to peaceful protest with maintaining public order and protecting people from intimidation. The scale of the Tommy Robinson march and the counter-demonstration highlighted tensions over immigration and national identity that politicians and ministers say must be addressed through policy and community engagement.
Starmer and other ministers emphasised that legitimate concerns about public policy must not be expressed through violence or intimidation. The prime minister said Britain was "a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect," and reiterated his pledge not to allow the national flag to be co-opted by those who seek to spread fear and division.