London witnessed one of the largest demonstrations in recent British history on Saturday, with more than 100,000 protesters marching in an anti-immigration demonstration organized under the leadership of activist Tommy Robinson. The protest resulted in clashes with police, and several officers were attacked during the event.
The ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march, led by Robinson, drew approximately 110,000 participants, according to police estimates. A counter-protest, ‘Stand Up To Racism,’ which had around 5,000 attendees, was kept separate from the main march.
During the march, which was organized by right-wing figure Tommy Robinson, a smaller group of his supporters clashed with police who were attempting to manage the separation between the protesters. The Metropolitan Police reported that several officers were assaulted during the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally, with bottles being thrown at them. In response, additional police forces, equipped with riot gear, were deployed to assist the over 1,000 officers already on duty.
Authorities made at least nine arrests, and further investigations are underway to identify and hold other offenders accountable. The police reported that approximately 110,000 people participated in the Robinson march, compared to about 5,000 who attended the ‘March Against Fascism’ organized by Stand Up To Racism.
In response to the attacks on police officers, extra units were deployed, including officers wearing protective gear and mounted units to help maintain order. Protesters were seen wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ hats associated with Donald Trump. The crowd also chanted slogans against Prime Minister Keir Starmer and displayed signs with messages such as ‘Send them home.’
The march started with protests outside hotels housing immigrants across Britain, where participants waved Union Jack and red-and-white St. George’s Cross flags. Some protesters also displayed American and Israeli flags. Tommy Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, founded the English Defence League, a nationalist and anti-Islamist group, and is a prominent figure in the British right-wing movement. The march was presented as an event supporting freedom of expression.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of the X platform, recently commented on the situation, expressing his concern about the impact of large-scale, uncontrolled immigration on Britain’s future, calling it a ‘rapid erosion.’