Two people have been charged following a weekend of rival protests in central London that saw 43 arrests and an estimated 80,000 participants. Stuart Adams, 49, from Merton, was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence for allegedly shouting racist remarks at a police officer during Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom demonstration on Saturday. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Dara Harbison, 26, from Brighton, was charged with assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, and possession of cannabis after attending the pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally. He will appear at the same court on 6 July. Among the other arrests, one person was recalled to prison, 25 were released on bail, three faced no further action, three were released under investigation, and two were charged with failing to appear at court for unrelated offences. Four penalty notices for disorder were issued, including three for urination.
On Monday, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Plymouth on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred after allegedly being pictured at the Nakba Day rally holding a sign calling for people to be hanged. The Metropolitan Police deployed around 4,000 officers, along with armoured vehicles, horses, dogs, and drones, in what was described as one of the busiest policing days in years. Live facial recognition cameras were also used in Camden.
The Unite the Kingdom march, which drew about 60,000 people, saw demonstrators carrying Union flags and chanting “we want Starmer out” and “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Robinson”. Some wore “Make England Great Again” hats and carried wooden crosses, chanting “Christ is king”. The Nakba Day rally attracted up to 20,000 participants. The FA Cup final at Wembley added to the large crowds in the capital.
