Thousands of people gathered in central London on Saturday as rival demonstrations converged on Whitehall and surrounding streets, prompting the Metropolitan Police to deploy about 1,600 officers for what the force described as a complex and large-scale public order operation.
The two main demonstrations were a "Unite the Kingdom" march organised by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, whose given name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and a counter-protest led by Stand Up To Racism that billed itself as a "March Against Fascism." Robinson's march assembled at Stamford Street near Waterloo Bridge and planned to proceed to the southern end of Whitehall for a rally. Counter-protesters were due to form up in Russell Square from midday and march via Kingsway, Aldwych and the Strand to the northern end of Whitehall.
Police said the operation would include more than 1,600 officers, with roughly 1,000 dedicated to the two protests and about 600 deployed to police other high-profile events across the capital, including Premier League and Championship football matches. Scotland Yard said about 500 of the officers had been brought in from forces outside London.
Metropolitan Police Commander Clair Haynes, who is overseeing the response, said barriers would be used to create space between the rival groups and that strict conditions would be imposed under the Public Order Act on where and when campaigners could protest. The force confirmed it would not use live facial recognition technology at the protests; the system had recently been used at Notting Hill Carnival.
Robinson urged attendees not to wear masks, drink alcohol or engage in violence, saying in a video posted on X that "it's not a time for riots. It's not a time for violence. It's a time where you come and you stand proudly for your country." Organisers of the Unite the Kingdom event said thousands would attend and that speakers would include French politician Eric Zemmour and Petr Bystron of Germany's Alternative for Germany, along with commentator Katie Hopkins and psychologist Jordan Peterson. The organisers said the march would also mark the death of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead Wednesday while speaking at a university in Utah.
Stand Up To Racism said hundreds of women would lead its march, which it said would send "a message loud and clear: we are united against the far right threat." Independent MP Diane Abbott was listed as among those taking part. Samira Ali, national organiser for the group, said women did not need the far right "to keep us safe."
Commander Haynes acknowledged concerns in Muslim communities about Robinson's record of anti-Islam rhetoric but urged Londoners not to avoid the city. "There have been some suggestions that Muslim Londoners should change their behaviour this Saturday, including not coming into town," she said. "That is not our advice. Everyone should be able to feel safe travelling into and around London. Our officers are there to ensure that is the case and we'd urge anyone who is out on Saturday and feels concerned to speak to us."
Police said demonstrators from Unite the Kingdom must not enter an emergency access lane on Westminster Bridge to ensure a path for ambulances and other emergency vehicles. They also warned that officers would take a "firm line on behaviour that is discriminatory or that crosses the line from protest into hate crime."
The policing operation coincided with a busy weekend for the capital, with multiple high-profile football fixtures and concerts requiring resources. The Met noted it would be policing derbies including West Ham versus Tottenham and Brentford versus Chelsea, and other matches drawing fans into London.
Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, described officers assigned to large protests as "emotionally and physically exhausted," saying colleagues had seen leave refused and rest days cancelled as the force responded to repeated demands. "We must remember there are no 'extra' police officers. Just the same hard-working ones having their days off cancelled, having to work longer shifts and being moved from other areas," she said.
In the run-up to the demonstrations, the Met said it had been in close contact with organisers, local businesses and community representatives. Authorities urged all those taking part to be considerate of the communities along the protest routes to keep disruption to a minimum and said they would act robustly if offences or disorder occurred.
The protests followed a period of heightened political tension in Britain and abroad involving debates over immigration, free speech and the rise of far-right groups. The Met's approach emphasised enabling lawful protest while seeking to prevent disorder amid an already busy calendar of events across the capital.