Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered across central London on Saturday as rival protests led by supporters of far-right figure Tommy Robinson and pro-Palestinian groups sparked one of the UK capital’s largest policing operations in recent years.
More than 4,000 Metropolitan Police officers were deployed to manage the large crowds, enforce strict protest boundaries, and prevent clashes between opposing groups marching through the city.
Authorities described the operation as one of the most significant security challenges London has faced in years, with police using drones, horses, dogs, live facial recognition technology, and armoured vehicles to monitor the demonstrations.
Supporters attending the Unite the Kingdom rally gathered in Kingsway before marching toward Whitehall and Parliament Square. Protesters were seen waving Union flags, wearing red “Make England Great Again” hats, and chanting slogans including “we want Starmer out.”
Many participants voiced anger toward the current UK government, while others claimed white working-class communities were being discriminated against in modern Britain.
The march was organised by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Ahead of the rally, he posted on X that the event would become “the greatest patriotic display the world has ever seen.”
At the same time, a separate pro-Palestinian demonstration marking Nakba Day began in Kensington before moving through Piccadilly toward Waterloo Place.
Nakba Day commemorates the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948-49 conflict surrounding the creation of Israel.
Thousands of demonstrators carried Palestinian flags, wore keffiyehs, and held placards bearing slogans such as “Free Palestine,” “Unity over division,” and “Smash the far right.”
The Metropolitan Police established a heavily controlled “sterile zone” between the rival marches to prevent direct confrontation.
Police also confirmed that live facial recognition cameras were used for the first time during a protest policing operation in London, particularly around Euston and King’s Cross stations where many Unite the Kingdom supporters were expected to arrive.
Authorities said two men wanted on suspicion of grievous bodily harm connected to an earlier incident in Birmingham were arrested near Euston station after arriving in London to attend the rally.
By early afternoon, police confirmed at least 11 arrests had been made, although details about the offences and which protest groups were involved were not immediately released.
The security operation was further complicated by tens of thousands of football fans travelling to Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup Final on the same day.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the Unite the Kingdom rally, accusing organisers of spreading “hatred and division.” He vowed that anyone attempting to incite violence or intimidation on Britain’s streets would face the “full force of the law.”
The UK government also revealed that 11 foreign “far-right agitators” had been blocked from entering the country ahead of the event, including US-based anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez.
Saturday’s demonstrations have once again highlighted deep political and social divisions in the UK, as tensions surrounding immigration, nationalism, and the Israel-Palestine conflict continue to fuel mass protests across Britain.