At least 25 people were arrested during a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson in London, named ‘Unite the Kingdom’, which drew up to 150,000 people.
The demonstration, which took place on Saturday, quickly turned violent as protesters clashed with police forces as they attempted to separate them from counter-protesters.
London says at least 26 police officers were injured in the scuffles, four of them critically.
“The arrests are just the start,” said Twist as the London Metropolitan Police vowed to find all those responsible and hold them to account.
After an initially peaceful afternoon, “Unite the Kingdom” protesters threw items at the rival rally and tried to break through barriers set up to separate the groups.
Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist, organized a march in London called “Unite the Kingdom,” which attracted up to 150,000 people. At least 25 people were arrested during the event.
The Saturday demonstration swiftly descended into violence as demonstrators and police clashed over the police’s attempts to separate them from counter-protesters.
According to London, four of the 26 police officers hurt in the altercations were critically injured. Officers had policed without “fear or favor,” according to Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, who also mentioned that one officer had a concussion and another had broken teeth.
Twist stated, “The arrests are just the start,” as the London Metropolitan Police promised to track down and prosecute all of the guilty parties.
Shabana Mahmood, the British home secretary, denounced the violence against police officers on Saturday and said those involved would be subject to the “full force of the law.”.
In an interview with UK media, Business Secretary Peter Kyle also denounced the violence and attacked Robinson for “tapping into a sense of disquiet” in the nation to incite violence and hatred.
The supporters of Robinson, whose real name is Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, also allegedly attacked a number of demonstrators at the competing “March Against Fascism” demonstration, which was organized by the Stand Up to Racism group and involved about 5,000 people.
The right-wing activist, who is well-known for his anti-immigrant and nationalist beliefs, promoted the march as a free speech protest and claimed it was in support of British culture and heritage.
Following a first-calm afternoon, demonstrators from “Unite the Kingdom” threw objects at the opposing rally and attempted to breach the barriers separating the groups. Police said they had to use force to prevent someone from breaking through a crowd-control fence.
Signs reading “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children” were held by some Robinson supporters. Many also shouted, “We want our country back,” while holding the union jack, the state flag of the United Kingdom, and the red-and-white St George’s flag of England. “.”.
During the counter-protest, participants yelled “stand up, fight back” and held signs that read “refugees welcome” and “smash the far right.”. “,”.
At a time when the UK is divided over the issue of migrants entering the country illegally in overcrowded inflatable boats, the marches are taking place.
A pro-Palestinian rally in November 2023 drew an estimated 300,000 people, but that crowd was still far smaller than one of the largest marches in recent memory.
Last October, Robinson had organized a rally called “Unite the Kingdom,” but he was unable to go because he was imprisoned for contempt of court for breaking a 2021 High Court order that prohibited him from making the same false accusations against a Syrian refugee who had successfully sued him. Prior to this, he was incarcerated for assault and mortgage fraud.
