LONDON: Thousands of protesters rallied through central London on Saturday, demanding tougher immigration laws and voicing support for far-right figure Tommy Robinson, whose recent arrest sparked anger among his followers.
The protest took place under a significant police presence as counter-demonstrators organized by left-wing groups gathered nearby, raising fears of clashes.
Supporters of Robinson, former leader of the English Defence League, marched through the city centre calling for his release. Robinson was remanded in custody on Friday pending a court appearance next week. His supporters criticized the government for what they described as a crackdown on protests following a series of summer demonstrations.
Robinson’s detention is linked to accusations that he breached a High Court order from 2021, which barred him from making defamatory statements against a Syrian refugee who had previously won a lawsuit against him.
Metropolitan Police officers were deployed in large numbers, working to keep Robinson’s supporters separate from counter-protesters. The counter-demonstration was organized by a coalition of hard-left groups opposed to Robinson’s agenda and the far-right’s anti-immigration stance.
Meanwhile, a third protest took place involving family members and supporters of Chris Kaba, a young man shot by a police officer last year. This week, the officer was cleared of murder, intensifying calls for justice from Kaba’s family and supporters, who have decried systemic issues within policing.
The Metropolitan Police reported two arrests during the far-right protest for public order violations, while two others were arrested for alleged assault in an incident near the counter-demonstration.
