Thousands attend protests as 43 arrested

Protests in Central London Draw Tens of Thousands

Tens of thousands of people gathered for two major protests in central London, with police reporting 43 arrests. The events included Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march and a pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally. Over 4,000 police officers were on duty to manage the crowds and ensure public safety.

As of 7:30 pm on Saturday, 43 arrests had been made. In addition, 22 arrests occurred at the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Four officers were assaulted, and six others faced hate crime offenses, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Two men who arrived in London to attend the Unite the Kingdom protest were arrested near Euston station over an unrelated incident in Birmingham. One of the men was arrested for involvement in a GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm) case, while the second was wanted for encouraging attacks on a police officer.

During the Unite the Kingdom march, chants such as “Keir Starmer’s a wanker” and “we want Starmer out” were heard. Many protesters wore red “Make England Great Again (Mega)” hats. Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posted a video on X from the protest, claiming that “the country’s awake” and that Keir Starmer’s days were numbered.

Robinson urged the crowd to get involved in local politics, stating that 2029 would be a crucial election year. He emphasized the importance of voter registration and activism, warning that failure to engage could lead to losing the country forever.

Other speakers at the event included Katie Hopkins, Ant Middleton, Laurence Fox, and Andrew Bridgen. Siobhan Whyte, the mother of Rhiannon Whyte, who was murdered by a Sudanese asylum seeker, criticized Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for failing her daughter.

Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, who claimed to have been banned from entering the UK, appeared via video link. There were issues with the schedule and video links during the speeches.

Pro-Palestine Rally Draws Large Crowd

At the pro-Palestine march, a large group of protesters carried banners and placards with messages like “Bristol stands with Palestine,” “Stop Trump, Stop Farage,” and “Free Palestinian Hostages.” Many wore keffiyehs.

Organizers estimated at least a quarter of a million people attended, though police had previously estimated 30,000. Labour MP Apsana Begum addressed the crowd, emphasizing unity against the far right. Diane Abbott highlighted the common enemy of racism and antisemitism, urging protesters to stand together.

Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana criticized Andy Burnham as “not an alternative” to Sir Keir, calling him another establishment politician. Jeremy Corbyn, also a Your Party co-founder, called for a change in policy rather than just personalities.

A woman was arrested for refusing to remove a fabric face mask at the pro-Palestine protest. Protesters wearing orange jumpsuits with masks featuring Nigel Farage were also asked to remove their masks.

Weyman Bennett of Stand Up To Racism stated that Tommy Robinson failed to silence solidarity with Palestine. He noted that thousands stood together to defend the right to protest.

Legal Considerations and New Guidelines

Prosecutors were advised to consider whether protest slogans, symbols, or chants might constitute stirring up hatred. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revised its guidance to reflect the changing international context, following new advice on fast-tracking hate crime prosecutions.

Recent cases saw individuals charged for shouting “death to the IDF” and “globalise the intifada.” The government blocked 11 foreign nationals described as “far-right agitators” from entering the UK before the Unite the Kingdom rally.

Drones were used to monitor both protest routes, while officers at Wembley monitored CCTV feeds to identify supporters traveling towards demonstrations. For the first time, organizers of the rallies could face prosecution if they allowed extremism or hate speech.

Live facial recognition technology was used for the first time in a protest policing operation. Cameras were set up in Camden, an area not on the Unite the Kingdom march route but expected to be heavily used by attendees.