London witnessed one of its largest and most heavily policed protest days in recent years on Saturday, as tens of thousands of people participated in two separate marches that ran concurrently through the city. On one side was the Unite the Kingdom rally, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. On the other side was a pro-Palestinian march held annually to mark Nakba Day. Both events drew substantial crowds, necessitating an extraordinary police operation to manage the city's streets.
Massive Police Deployment
According to the BBC, more than 4,000 officers were deployed across London. The police utilized drones, horses, dogs, and had armored vehicles on standby. Live facial recognition cameras were employed at Euston and King's Cross St Pancras stations to identify individuals heading into the capital for the Unite the Kingdom event. This marked the first time this technology was used as part of a protest policing operation. The Metropolitan Police described the operation as one of the most significant in recent years, noting that tens of thousands of football fans were also present in the city for the FA Cup Final at Wembley.
Arrests and Incidents
By 4:30 PM, the Met reported 31 arrests across the entire operation. Two men were arrested near Euston station. One was wanted on suspicion of grievous bodily harm in connection with an incident in Birmingham; he had been spotted traveling to London to attend the Unite the Kingdom rally.
The Unite the Kingdom Rally
Unite the Kingdom protesters gathered first at Kingsway before marching to Whitehall and then Parliament Square. Speakers at the rally included former LBC presenter Katie Hopkins, actor and politician Laurence Fox, and TV personality Ant Middleton. Members of the crowd wore red hats bearing the slogan "Make England Great Again" and chants of "we want Starmer out" were heard throughout the event.
The Pro-Palestinian March
The pro-Palestinian march started in Kensington and moved through Piccadilly towards Waterloo Place. Speakers included Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana and independent MPs Diane Abbott and Apsana Begum. Many in the crowd wore keffiyehs and carried banners reading "Free Palestine" and "smash the far right."
Government Actions
The government confirmed that 11 foreign nationals, described as far-right agitators, were blocked from entering the UK ahead of the rally. Among them was US-based influencer Valentina Gomez, who had attended the first Unite the Kingdom march in September.
Official Reactions
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the march's organizers were "peddling hatred and division" and that anyone seeking to incite violence would face the full force of the law. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized that the right to protest is a cornerstone of democracy but drew the same line on hate and violence. The Metropolitan Police noted that both protests proceeded largely without significant incident.
