Tens of thousands join rival far-right and pro-Palestinian marches in London

LONDON: Tens of thousands of people turned out in London on Saturday for two rival demonstrations, one organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and the other combining a pro-Palestinian march with an anti-fascism protest, according to London’s Metropolitan Police and aerial footage broadcast by British media.

The Metropolitan Police had said before the events that it was preparing one of its biggest operations in recent years as the British capital was also hosting the FA Cup Final. The force said it would deploy 4,000 officers, along with horses, dogs, drones and helicopters, to police Robinson’s so-called Unite the Kingdom march and the rival rally held to mark Nakba Day.

Nakba commemorates the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. The event was due to merge with an anti-fascism march organised by the Stand Up to Racism group.

Police had estimated that 30,000 people would attend the Nakba Day and anti-fascism event, which was to set off from west London, while 50,000 were expected at the Unite the Kingdom march beginning in Holborn in central London.

Large police deployment across the capital

The scale of the policing operation reflected concern over the size of the crowds and the fact that the demonstrations were taking place on the same day as a major football fixture. The Metropolitan Police said the deployment would include specialist resources in addition to thousands of officers on the ground.

The two events brought together sharply opposing causes, with Robinson’s march framed around his Unite the Kingdom campaign and the counter-demonstration linked both to Nakba Day and anti-racism mobilisation.

Aerial images carried by UK media showed large crowds gathering in the capital as the demonstrations got under way.

Rival causes draw large crowds

The London demonstrations came amid heightened attention on public order around major protests in the city. The Metropolitan Police had publicly outlined its preparations in advance, underscoring the scale of the operation and the expected turnout for both events.

Robinson’s march was described by police as the Unite the Kingdom event, while the opposing mobilisation centred on Nakba Day, observed by Palestinians and their supporters to mark the events of 1948, and was joined by activists from Stand Up to Racism.

Based on the figures cited by police ahead of the rallies, the combined turnout was expected to reach 80,000 people. Tens of thousands attended, with broadcast aerial footage indicating substantial participation on both sides.

The force was set to deploy 4,000 officers — alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters — to manage Robinson’s so-called ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march and the rival rally marking Nakba Day.

The demonstrations unfolded under heavy security in central London, with police seeking to manage two large and politically opposed gatherings on a day already marked by another major public event in the city.