More than 110,000 people attended a far-right protest in London organised by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, in what is believed to be the largest nationalist event in decades. The Metropolitan Police reported that 26 officers were injured, four seriously, and at least 25 arrests were made for offences including affray, violent disorder, and assault.
The rally, billed as a 'festival of free speech', took place in Whitehall and featured speeches from Elon Musk, who called for the dissolution of the UK parliament, and French far-right politician Éric Zemmour, who promoted the 'great replacement' conspiracy theory. The crowd, largely white and waving Union Jack and St George flags, chanted slogans including 'Tommy' and 'Whose street? Our street'.
Police faced 'unacceptable violence' as bottles, flares, and other projectiles were thrown, leading to clashes. The scale of the protest vastly exceeded police estimates, forcing Whitehall to close to marchers before the first speakers took the stage, leaving thousands stranded on Westminster Bridge and in Parliament Square.
About 5,000 counter-protesters from trade unions and anti-fascist groups marched separately in central London. The event, which included stalls selling books co-authored by Robinson, amplified racist conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim hate speech, according to reports.
