LONDON – The Metropolitan Police reported that the demonstration, organized under the “Unite the Kingdom” banner by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, drew approximately 110,000 participants. The crowd overflowed Whitehall, the wide street lined with government offices where police had approved the march. Authorities tried to keep protesters within the designated route, but some attacked officers, throwing objects and fireworks. Twenty-six officers were injured, four seriously, and 25 arrests have been made. Police are currently identifying violent participants for further action.
Over 1,600 officers were deployed across London, including 500 borrowed from other units, to manage the demonstration, a counter-protest by about 5,000 members of Stand Up to Racism, major football matches, and concerts occurring the same day.
This rally was the largest anti-immigration gathering in the UK this summer, a period marked by protests outside hotels housing migrants. Participants carried Union Jack flags and Saint George’s Cross flags.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 42, addressed the crowd as a self-proclaimed journalist exposing government wrongdoing. He called the event a cultural revolution in England and a wave of patriotism. The rally also featured a video link from American billionaire Elon Musk, who has supported Robinson and other far-right figures, urging a change of government and criticizing British citizens for fearing to voice opinions.
The Reform UK party, a right-wing populist party established in 2018 and currently polling strongly, has sought to distance itself from Robinson, who has multiple criminal convictions.
Immigration has emerged as a dominant political issue in the UK, overshadowing economic concerns. The country is facing record numbers of asylum seekers, with more than 28,000 migrants crossing the English Channel by boat this year. Streets have seen displays of Saint George’s Cross flags, sometimes painted on roads. Supporters view the displays as natural expressions of national pride, while opponents see them as acts of hostility toward foreigners. (TNA)
