Thousands of supporters have been seen in London for the Unite the Kingdom rally, with the far-right gathering set to take place just a few hours yet
Tommy Robinson’s ‘United the Kingdom’ march has taken an ugly turn as police say “several officers have been assaulted” while others were “attacked with projectiles”. A huge number of demonstrators – estimated to be 110,000 – have taken to the streets of London to voice opposition to immigration and other issues.
Counter protestors have also descended on the capital albeit in much smaller numbers – around 5,000. A “sterile zone” has been established in Whitehall by the Met to divide the two groups which some of the ‘United the Kingdom’ protesters are alleged to have tried to enter.
The Met said several of it’s officers were “assaulted” as Tommy Robinson protesters tried to pass police cordons and reach counter-protesters. The force’s statement read: “Officers are having to intervene in multiple locations to stop Unite the Kingdom protesters trying to access sterile areas, breach police cordons or get to opposing groups.
“A number of officers have been assaulted.” In an earlier statement, the Met said: “A crowd of ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protesters attempted to enter the sterile area on Whitehall that is place to keep the two protests apart. Officers were attacked with projectiles and have had to use force to avoid their cordon being breached.”
Dramatic scenes show hundreds of the contentious campaigner’s followers congregating in the capital, with numerous Union Jacks and St George’s Crosses proudly displayed. Counter-demonstrations by more left-leaning groups are also taking place.
Volunteers clad in high-vis jackets were seen attempting to control protestors, but this didn’t deter individuals from expressing their pride by donning the British flag. Many were spotted wearing the St George’s flag – alongside the Union Jack – stitched onto suits.
The demonstrations kicked off just after midday on Saturday (September 13). However, counter-protests against the gathering have also been arranged by the Stand Up to Racism charity – supported by the Hope not Hate organisation – urging a large turnout against the original demonstration.
Authorities estimate that around 110,000 people assembled in Stamford Street, near London’s Waterloo train station, where the march commenced. Meanwhile, the counter-protest started at Russell Square with several hundred people reportedly participating in opposition to the far-right activist’s event.
Scotland Yard has urged the public to prepare for potential disruption across London as 1,600 police officers from nationwide are deployed to maintain order between the two opposing groups. With several high-stakes football matches also taking place, the Met Police has acknowledged that their resources will be stretched to the limit.
Both protests are scheduled to march through the city before concluding on opposite sides of Whitehall, where they will hold rallies and hear speeches from key figures. Tommy’s rally is set to feature Katie Hopkins, as well as contentious far-right politicians from across Europe.
Katie Hopkins, a vocal and divisive figure, was joined by Laurence Fox, a former actor turned right-wing politician, in leading the protests. They were also accompanied by Tommy himself and Ant Middleton, a former presenter of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
However, some protesters appeared bewildered by the multiple demonstrations taking place across the city. In one instance, the Mirror’s chief reporter took to social media to reveal that two far-right demonstrators had inadvertently joined the counter-demonstration.
They tweeted: “Two Tommy Robinson supporters have just joined the wrong rally! A policeman pointed out their error and the two men scuttled off rather embarrassed.”
The significant protest occurred amidst criticism from the ruling Labour Party, with veteran MP Diane Abbott condemning the decision to hold the event at all. Speaking to Sky News, Diane, who is set to deliver a speech at the counter-protest, stated: “We need to show that we are united.
“They are talking nonsense. It is a dangerous lie to try and say that men of colour are a threat to women; it is a dangerous lie and we need to squash it.”
However, as the counter-protest continues to make its way through London, tens of thousands of far-right enthusiasts continue to voice their opinions on Tommy. One fervent supporter raged: “People who think Tommy Robinson is a fascist are thick.”
Dressed in a Union Jack shirt, the man declared: “This quite clearly signifies what I stand for. I try to look patriotic, but smart as well. I think it’s important to keep the flag clean.”
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