London’s metropolitan police said about 110,000 people participated in the “Kingdom Unity” march hosted by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson.
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LONDON, Sept. 13 (Reuters) – More than 100,000 protesters marched through central London on Saturday, raising British and British flags and brawling police in one of Britain’s biggest right-wing modern demonstrations.
London Metropolitan Police said the “Redicine Unity” march, hosted by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, was attended by around 110,000 people who were separated from the “racist opposition” candidates, with around 5,000 people present.
Police seem to be taken astounded by the size of the voter turnout, explaining the rally as “too big to fit in Whitehall,” a wide street lined with government buildings on the approved route of the march.
Police, who attempted to turn from routes, faced “unacceptable violence,” the force said, and officers were facing bottles, flares and other projectiles that were kicked, punched and thrown at them.
Police said 26 officers were injured and four were seriously injured.
There were a total of 25 arrests, and the unit said it was “just starting.”
“We are identifying people involved in this disorder and can hope to face robust police action in the coming days and weeks,” Deputy Director Matt Twist said.
The march was the culmination of a highly recharged summer in Britain, including protests performed outside immigrant housing. Protesters carried British Union flags and English red and white St. George crosses, others carried American and Israeli flags, and wore US President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great” or Maga Hats. They were carrying placards with people chanting critical slogans of Kiel’s Prime Minister starmer and saying, “Please send me home.” Some participants brought children.
“We believe in Tommy.”
“Today is a spark of British cultural revolution, and this is our moment,” Robinson said in a speech to supporters, saying he showed a “tide of patriotism.”
In a video link to the rally, American billionaire Elon Musk, who intervened in British politics to support Robinson and other far-right figures, called for a change in the UK government. He said he was scared of the British public exercising their freedom of speech.
Robinson is his real name, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and describes himself as a journalist exposing state misconduct. Reform Britain, the UK’s largest anti-immigrant party, has put the top opinion polls in recent months, but has maintained a distance from several criminal convictions Robinson.
“We want to get our country back, and we want to get free speech back on track,” said supporter Sandra Mitchell, who will be attending the rally.
“They need to stop illegal migration to this country,” she said. “We believe in Tommy.”
In opposition, teacher Ben Hetchin said:
Police said more than 1,600 officers were deployed to London on Saturday, including 500 people brought from other units. In addition to the police in two demonstrations, the London troops were stretched by prominent football matches and concerts.
As the country faces record numbers of asylum claims, immigration has become the dominant political issue in the UK, overturning economic concerns. Over 28,000 migrants have so far arrived at small boats across the channel this year.
Red and white English flags multiply along the streets and are painted on the roads. Supporters call it a voluntary campaign of public pride, but anti-racist activists see a message of hostility towards foreigners.
