LONDON: Tens of thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday in two separate demonstrations, one organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and another pro-Palestinian rally marking Nakba Day.
The Metropolitan Police said it deployed 4,000 officers, including reinforcements from outside London, in one of its largest public order operations in years.
The force said it would use “the most assertive possible use of our powers” to maintain order.
By early afternoon, police said 11 people had been arrested for various offences.
Authorities had earlier estimated total turnout at about 80,000 people, with 50,000 expected at the “Unite the Kingdom” march and around 30,000 at the pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Police said armoured vehicles, horses, dogs, drones and helicopters were deployed.
Officers also imposed controlled routes and timings to keep rival groups apart and maintain a “sterile zone” between the marches.
Heavy policing and security measures
The Metropolitan Police said it had introduced live facial recognition technology for the first time in a protest policing operation, with cameras deployed at key transport hubs including Euston and King’s Cross St Pancras.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the operation was expected to cost around £4.5 million ($6 million), describing it as necessary due to heightened risks.
The Crown Prosecution Service also said prosecutors were considering whether protest placards or chants could constitute offences.
CPS director Stephen Parkinson said the approach was “not about restricting free speech” but about “preventing hate crime and protecting the public”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier warned that anyone seeking to “wreak havoc on our streets” would face the full force of the law.
He also accused organisers of the far-right rally of “peddling hatred and division”.
The government barred 11 foreign nationals from entering Britain ahead of the Unite the Kingdom rally, describing them as foreign far-right agitators.
Far-right rally led by Tommy Robinson
Supporters of the Unite the Kingdom march, organised by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, gathered in central London before marching towards Whitehall and Parliament Square.
Many participants carried British and English flags and chanted slogans calling for the government’s removal.
Some wore “Make England Great Again (MEGA)” hats.
The protest follows a similar rally in September that drew large crowds and featured a video address from US billionaire Elon Musk.
Pro-Palestinian march marks Nakba Day
A separate demonstration organised by the Stand Up to Racism group and pro-Palestinian campaigners marched from Kensington towards central London to mark Nakba Day, observed annually on May 15.
Nakba Day commemorates the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 war.
Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and signs reading “Free Palestinian Hostages”. Many wore keffiyehs as a symbol of solidarity.
Organisers said the march was planned independently of the far-right rally.
Police said arrests were made at both demonstrations, including near major transport hubs.
Officers reported detaining two men near Euston station, one of whom was wanted for grievous bodily harm and another for allegedly encouraging violence against police.
