LONDON — A recent march in London organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson attracted over 110,000 participants and descended into chaos on Saturday. Tensions flared as a small faction of Robinson's supporters clashed with police officers, who were working to separate them from counterprotesters. According to the Metropolitan Police, several officers experienced physical assaults, including punches, kicks, and being struck by bottles from individuals on the outskirts of the Unite the Kingdom rally.
In response to the escalating situation, the police deployed reinforcements equipped with helmets and riot shields to assist the more than 1,000 officers already on duty. Unfortunately, the violence led to injuries for 26 police officers, with four sustaining serious injuries, including broken teeth, a concussion, a suspected broken nose, and a spinal injury. The police reported that at least 25 individuals were arrested for various offenses, including violent disorder, assaults, and criminal damage, as investigations into the incident continue.
According to Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, while many attendees came to exercise their lawful right to protest, there were others who arrived with the intent to incite violence. "They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe," Twist stated. The rally's estimated attendance ranged from 110,000 to 150,000 people, significantly exceeding police expectations. In contrast, the rival March Against Fascism, organized by Stand Up To Racism, attracted around 5,000 participants.
Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent figure in the far-right movement in Britain, having founded the nationalist and anti-Islam English Defense League. The march was positioned as a demonstration advocating for free speech, featuring rhetoric from various far-right politicians across Europe, who focused primarily on the challenges of migration—a pressing issue for numerous countries on the continent.
Among those speaking at the rally was far-right French politician Eric Zemmour, who asserted, "We are both subject to the same process of the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture." Additionally, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of the X platform, made a virtual appearance, critiquing the left-leaning U.K. government. Musk remarked, "There's something beautiful about being British, and what I see happening here is a destruction of Britain, with massive uncontrolled migration."
During the rally, Robinson passionately addressed the crowd, claiming that migrants now possess greater rights in court than British citizens, the very individuals who built the nation. This protest occurs amidst ongoing debates in the U.K. regarding migrants crossing the English Channel in overcrowded inflatable boats, leading to unauthorized landings. This summer has seen numerous anti-migrant protests, particularly in response to the arrest of an Ethiopian man convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a London suburb, which sparked violence and arrests.
Participants in the Unite the Kingdom march waved the St. George's red-and-white flag of England and the Union Jack, chanting slogans like "we want our country back." The display of U.K. flags has surged across the country this summer, prompting mixed reactions regarding its implications for national pride versus rising nationalism. Many supporters carried signs with messages such as "stop the boats," "send them home," and "enough is enough, save our children."
Meanwhile, counterprotesters expressed their views with signs reading "refugees welcome" and "smash the far right," while chanting "stand up, fight back." Supporters of Robinson also directed crude chants towards U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, leader of the center-left Labour Party, and displayed support for slain U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Several speakers paid tribute to Kirk, observed with a moment of silence and a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace."
The crowd at one point extended from Big Ben across the River Thames and around beyond Waterloo train station, covering a distance of approximately three-quarters of a mile (about a kilometer). While the majority of the marches remained peaceful, tensions escalated as Unite the Kingdom supporters began throwing objects at the counterprotesters and attempted to breach barriers set up by police.
Officers were forced to intervene to maintain control, preventing the crowd from breaking through crowd-control fences. During the chaos, a man with blood on his face was escorted by police away from the Robinson supporters, though the circumstances surrounding his injuries remain unclear. While the turnout was significant, it ultimately fell short of the record-breaking pro-Palestinian rally that drew an estimated 300,000 attendees in November 2023.
