A recent march in London, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, attracted more than 100,000 participants and escalated into chaos on Saturday. Tensions flared when a small faction of Robinson's supporters clashed with police, who had been tasked with separating them from counterprotesters. The Metropolitan Police reported that several officers faced physical assaults, including being punched, kicked, and struck with bottles, particularly from individuals on the fringes of the rally.
In response to the unrest, police deployed reinforcements equipped with helmets and riot shields to support the over 1,000 officers on duty. While at least nine arrests were made during the event, police indicated that they had identified multiple offenders who would later be held accountable for their actions. The Metropolitan Police estimated that the rally, titled “Unite the Kingdom,” drew around 110,000 attendees, in stark contrast to the opposing “March Against Fascism” organized by Stand Up To Racism, which saw approximately 5,000 participants.
Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is known for founding the English Defense League and is considered one of the most influential figures within the far-right movement in Britain. The rally was framed as a demonstration in support of free speech, with many speakers, including far-right politicians from across Europe, focusing on the theme of migration—a pressing issue that many European nations are grappling with. French politician Eric Zemmour stated, “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.”
Notably, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of the X platform, participated via video link, criticizing the left-leaning U.K. government. He remarked, “There’s something beautiful about being British, and what I see happening here is a destruction of Britain, an erosion with massive uncontrolled migration.” Robinson amplified these sentiments, claiming that migrants now possess more legal rights than the “British public, the people that built this nation.”
This march comes amid a heated debate in the U.K. regarding migrants crossing the English Channel in overcrowded boats, landing on British shores without authorization. Following recent incidents, including the conviction of an Ethiopian man for sexually assaulting a minor, several anti-migrant protests erupted outside hotels housing asylum-seekers, some of which turned violent.
Participants in the “Unite the Kingdom” march displayed a sea of flags, including the St. George’s red-and-white flag of England and the Union Jack, while chanting “we want our country back.” This summer, U.K. flags have become increasingly prominent, leading to discussions about whether it reflects a rise in national pride or a shift toward nationalism. Supporters brandished signs with slogans such as “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children.”
The counterprotest featured signs proclaiming “refugees welcome” and “smash the far right,” with participants shouting “stand up, fight back.” As tensions escalated, Robinson's supporters directed crude chants at U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, leader of the center-left Labour Party, while also expressing support for the late U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The crowd stretched significantly, spanning from Big Ben across the River Thames and beyond Waterloo train station—a distance of roughly three-quarters of a mile (or around a kilometer). Although the rally was predominantly peaceful, it took a turn for the worse later in the day when attendees began throwing objects at the opposing rally and attempted to breach police barriers. Officers were forced to intervene to maintain order.
Despite the impressive turnout, the numbers were considerably lower than larger protests, such as a pro-Palestinian rally that drew an estimated 300,000 people in November 2023. Tommy Robinson had initially planned a “Unite the Kingdom” rally in October of the previous year but was unable to attend due to incarceration for contempt of court related to libelous allegations against a Syrian refugee.
