Twenty-six police officers were injured at the largest far-right demonstration in British history, which drew more than 100,000 people to the streets of London.
The “Unite the Kingdom” march, led by the prominent far-right Islamophobe Tommy Robinson, brought unprecedented numbers to central London on Saturday. Police placed the turnout between 110,000 and 150,000, which led to an overflow spilling onto Westminster Bridge and surrounding streets.
While the day began with mostly orderly marches, violence soon erupted as Robinson’s supporters tried to force their way into restricted zones, including areas reserved for counter-demonstrators from the “Stand Up to Racism” campaign. Officers who attempted to block their progress were met with kicks, punches, bottles, flares and other projectiles.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 26 officers were injured during the disorder, four of them seriously. Injuries included broken teeth, a possible broken nose, concussion, a prolapsed disc, and a head wound. Officers were forced to wear full protective gear, using shields, horses and dogs to hold the lines.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “Officers went into today’s operation knowing it would be busy and potentially challenging. They policed without fear or favour and approached engagement with all protesters positively.
“There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence. They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.
“The violence they faced was wholly unacceptable. 26 officers were injured, including four seriously – among them broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc and a head injury.
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“The 25 arrests we have made so far is just the start. Our post-event investigation has already begun – we are identifying those who were involved in the disorder and they can expect to face robust police action in the coming days and weeks.
“I am hugely grateful to the officers who were deployed in central London today, to those on duty in all 32 boroughs responding to 999 calls and to the more than 500 colleagues from forces across England and Wales who stood alongside us in some very challenging circumstances.”
By early evening, at least 25 arrests had been made for affray, violent disorder, assault and criminal damage. The Met deployed 1,600 officers, supported by more than 500 colleagues from forces across England and Wales, in an attempt to manage the scale of the protests and maintain public safety.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned those who attacked the police, stating that “anyone taking part in criminal activity will face the full force of the law.”
Tommy Robinson’s international support
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who has a long record of criminal convictions, presented the rally as a patriotic uprising for “free speech”. Addressing his supporters, he said: “Today is the spark of a cultural revolution in Great Britain. This is our moment.” He told the crowd that migrants now had “more rights in court than the British public, the people that built this nation.”
Editorial credit: Lois GoBe / Shutterstock.com
The event drew international attention, not only because of its size but also because of the figures who lent it support. American billionaire Elon Musk appeared via video-link, warning of the “destruction of Britain” with “massive uncontrolled migration” and calling for a change of government. French far-right politician Eric Zemmour repeated the so-called “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory while Petr Bystron from Germany’s AFD also addressed the rally.
Far-right Belgian politician, Filip Dewinter, told a cheering crowd that “Islam is our real enemy” and “we must end Islam in Europe”, while a Christian Maori group desecrated the Palestine flag on stage.
Demonstrators carried Union Jacks, St George’s crosses, and even Israeli flags. Many wore the red “Make America Great Again” caps popularised by President Donald Trump. Supporters said they were motivated by a desire to halt immigration and reclaim British identity.
Counterprotests and political reaction
Observers noted that the scale of the march marked a watershed moment. Joe Mulhall of Hope Not Hate described it as “probably… the largest far-right demonstration ever in Britain.” When speaking to the BBC. Georgios Samaras of King’s College London said it showed how multiple factions of the far-right had converged on London.
Yet the far-right turnout was still smaller than some recent demonstrations on other issues. Last November, a pro-Palestinian march drew an estimated 300,000 people, more than double the number who rallied with Robinson. The police also pointed to contrasts in conduct: Saturday’s rally led to 25 arrests, while the previous week’s Palestine Action protest, largely peaceful, saw nearly 900 detentions.
Around 5,000 people joined the counterprotest in Whitehall, organised by “Stand Up to Racism” and attended by MPs Diane Abbott and Zarah Sultana. Protesters carried signs declaring “Refugees welcome” and “Smash the far right,” chanting slogans such as “Stand up, fight back!” Abbott said Robinson and his allies were spreading “dangerous” lies that painted asylum seekers as a threat.
Some counter-protesters reported being attacked by Robinson’s supporters. The campaign group posted on X: “Are these the ‘concerned ordinary people’ we’ve heard so much about? Or are they far right thugs?”
The violent scenes sparked political reaction. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticised Musk’s involvement and branded Robinson’s followers “far-right thugs” who “do not speak for Britain.”
The rally capped a summer of heightened tensions marked by protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers and ongoing political gains by Reform UK, the anti-immigrant party now polling strongly. Robinson himself had been prevented from attending a similar rally last year due to a contempt of court sentence.
The Met has confirmed that further arrests are expected as investigations continue, with officers reviewing footage to identify those responsible for the violence.
