The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that 11 arrests were made for alleged hate crime-related offences during two major protests held in London on Saturday. Nine of these arrests were linked to Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march, while two were connected to the Nakba Day pro-Palestine demonstration.
Protest Turnout and Policing
According to the Metropolitan Police, approximately 60,000 people joined the Unite the Kingdom march, while between 15,000 and 20,000 attended the Nakba Day rally. In total, 43 arrests were made on the day, with 20 linked to the Unite the Kingdom protest and 12 connected to the Nakba rally. The remaining 11 arrests were not linked to either group, or their affiliation has yet to be confirmed.
Around 4,000 police officers were deployed on Saturday. The force reported that four officers were assaulted during the day, and six were subjected to alleged hate crime offences. The offences included those motivated by race, religion, sexuality, and disability. A further seven hate crime offences remain under investigation, with suspects yet to be identified, all linked to the Nakba Day protest.
Use of Facial Recognition Technology
Three arrests were made as a result of live facial recognition technology, the Met added. All three individuals were wanted for failing to appear in court and were not affiliated with either protest.
Speakers at the Unite the Kingdom March
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, shared a video on X from the demonstration in which he declared: 'Keir Starmer, the country's awake, your days are numbered.' In a separate clip, he claimed millions had attended the march. Taking to the stage, Robinson urged those gathered to get involved in local politics.
Among the other speakers were former Apprentice candidate Katie Hopkins, television personality Ant Middleton, former actor Laurence Fox, and former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen. Siobhan Whyte, mother of Rhiannon Whyte, who was murdered by a Sudanese asylum seeker, addressed the protest, telling the crowd that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer 'failed my daughter'. Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, who claimed to have been banned by Sir Keir from entering the UK ahead of the rally, appeared on stage via videolink.
Pro-Palestine Rally
Organisers of the pro-Palestine rally estimated at least a quarter of a million people were in attendance. Labour MP Apsana Begum told protesters that the movement would not be divided by the 'far right'. MP Diane Abbott declared they faced a 'common enemy' in the 'far right'. She added: 'They are viciously right-wing, viciously racist, they are anti-black, anti-Muslim, and viciously anti-semitic. We have to come together... to fight the racists, to fight the fascists, to fight the antisemites.'
Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana informed the demonstrators that Andy Burnham was 'not an alternative' to Sir Keir and 'is another establishment politician cut from the same Zionist cloth'. Former Labour leader and Your Party co-founder Jeremy Corbyn addressed supporters at the pro-Palestine demonstration in Pall Mall, saying that Westminster requires a shift in 'policy' not 'personalities'.
