LONDON (BN24) — Scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police on Saturday as more than 110,000 people marched through central London in a massive anti-migrant rally led by right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, marking one of the largest demonstrations of its kind in modern Britain.
The “Unite the Kingdom” march drew an unexpectedly large crowd, with protesters carrying Union Jacks and the red-and-white St. George’s Cross while chanting against Prime Minister Keir Starmer and demanding an end to illegal migration. London’s Metropolitan Police, who deployed more than 1,600 officers across the city, said the rally grew so large that Whitehall, the government district designated for the march, “was too small to contain it.”
Violence erupted as some protesters attempted to break away from the approved route. Police reported being punched, kicked, and targeted with bottles, flares, and other projectiles. Twenty-six officers were injured, including four seriously, and at least 25 arrests were made. Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said more arrests are expected as authorities review evidence of disorder. “Those involved can expect robust police action in the coming days and weeks,” he said.
The event capped a summer of rising anti-migrant sentiment across Britain, with protests staged outside hotels housing asylum seekers. Demonstrators waved British flags, displayed American and Israeli banners, and wore red “Make America Great Again” hats associated with U.S. President Donald Trump. Some carried placards reading “send them home,” and others brought their children.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, addressed the crowd by declaring the march “the spark of a cultural revolution in Great Britain.” He hailed what he called “a tidal wave of patriotism.” In a video message, billionaire Elon Musk urged a change of government in Britain, saying people were “scared to exercise free speech.”
Despite Robinson’s central role in organizing the march, Reform UK, the country’s leading anti-immigrant political party, kept its distance from him. Robinson has a string of criminal convictions but portrays himself as a journalist exposing state corruption.
Sandra Mitchell, a marcher who carried an English flag, said she believed the rally showed public opposition to immigration. “We want our country back, we want our free speech back on track,” she said. “They need to stop illegal migration into this country. We believe in Tommy.”
The march drew a counter-demonstration of about 5,000 people organized by Stand Up to Racism. Ben Hetchin, a London teacher, said he joined to send a message of inclusion. “The idea of hate is dividing us,” he said. “The more that we welcome people, the stronger we are as a country.”
Britain has faced record levels of asylum claims this year, with more than 28,000 migrants arriving across the English Channel in small boats. The surge has shifted immigration to the center of the national political debate, even eclipsing concerns over the economy. English flags have increasingly appeared on streets and buildings across the country, with supporters calling the displays a movement of national pride, while critics see them as a symbol of hostility toward foreigners.
Police said their forces were stretched thin Saturday, as they managed both demonstrations along with major soccer matches and concerts across London.
