25 arrested for assaulting police at London march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson

At least 25 people were arrested during a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson in London, named ‘Unite the Kingdom’, which drew up to 150,000 people.

The demonstration, which took place on Saturday, quickly turned violent as protesters clashed with police forces as they attempted to separate them from counter-protesters.

London says at least 26 police officers were injured in the scuffles, four of them critically. Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said that officers had policed without “fear or favour”, adding that one officer suffered a concussion, while another suffered broken teeth.

“The arrests are just the start,” said Twist as the London Metropolitan Police vowed to find all those responsible and hold them to account.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned Saturday’s violence against police officers, asserting that anyone who took part in what she called “criminal activity” will face the “full force of the law”.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle also condemned the violence and slammed Robinson in an interview with UK media outlets for “tapping into a sense of disquiet” in the country to incite hate and violence.

Robinson, whose real name is Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, supporters also reportedly assaulted various protesters taking place in the rival ‘March Against Fascism’ demonstration, organised by the Stand Up to Racism group, and included around 5,000 people.

The right-wing activist, known for his nationalist and anti-migrant views, billed the march as a demonstration for free speech, and also said it was in defence of British heritage and culture.

After an initially peaceful afternoon, “Unite the Kingdom” protesters threw items at the rival rally and tried to break through barriers set up to separate the groups. Officers had to use force to keep a crowd-control fence from being breached, the police said.

Some Robinson supporters held signs saying “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children.” Many also carried the St George’s red-and-white flag of England and the union jack, the state flag of the United Kingdom, and chanted “we want our country back.”

At the counter-protest, people held signs saying “refugees welcome" and ”smash the far right," and shouted “stand up, fight back."

The marches come at a time when the UK has been riven by debate over migrants crossing the English Channel in overcrowded inflatable boats to arrive on shore without authorisation.

Although the crowd gathered was large, it fell far short of one of the biggest recent marches, when a pro-Palestinian rally drew an estimated 300,000 people in November 2023.

Robinson had previously planned a “Unite the Kingdom” rally for October last year, but could not attend after being jailed for contempt of court for violating a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libelous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him. He has previously served jail time for assault and mortgage fraud.