Biggest ever anti-immigration protests sweep London; cops punched, kicked by protesters
In total, 26 officers were injured—four seriously, with injuries including broken teeth, a concussion, a suspected broken nose, and a spinal injury.
PTC News Desk: A march in London led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson attracted more than 110,000 people on Saturday and turned disorderly when some supporters clashed with police separating them from counter-protesters.
According to the Metropolitan Police, several officers were punched, kicked, and hit with bottles thrown from the edges of the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, prompting the deployment of reinforcements equipped with helmets and riot shields to back over 1,000 officers already on the ground.
In total, 26 officers were injured—four seriously, with injuries including broken teeth, a concussion, a suspected broken nose, and a spinal injury. Police arrested at least 25 individuals for violent disorder, assault, and criminal damage, with investigations ongoing.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist stated that while many demonstrators were lawfully protesting, a significant number came seeking violence, targeting officers with verbal and physical abuse and attempting to break through safety cordons.
The crowd size was estimated at 110,000 to 150,000—well beyond expectations—while a counter-demonstration, the “March Against Fascism” organized by Stand Up To Racism, drew about 5,000 participants. Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is the founder of the anti-Islam English Defence League and remains one of Britain’s most prominent far-right figures. Marketed as a rally for free speech, the event featured speeches from influencers and far-right politicians across Europe, many focusing on migration as a major threat.
French far-right politician Eric Zemmour told attendees: “We are both undergoing the great replacement of European people by migrants from the south and of Muslim culture. You and we are being colonised by our former colonies.”