Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on central London today for two major demonstrations, prompting a £4.5 million police operation. The Metropolitan Police will deploy armoured vehicles, horses, dogs, drones and helicopters alongside thousands of officers to prevent clashes between Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march and a pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has issued updated guidance to prosecutors, urging them to consider whether placards, banners and chants seen on social media may constitute offences of inciting hatred. Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said: 'This is not about restricting free speech. It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who visited the Met's command centre on Friday, described Unite the Kingdom organisers as 'peddling hatred and division, plain and simple'. He added: 'We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence.' The Government has barred 11 foreign nationals, described as 'far-right agitators', from entering the UK ahead of the rally.
For the first time, rally organisers will face prosecution alongside speakers who break the law by using the events as a platform for extremism or hate speech. Live facial recognition technology will also be deployed in a protest policing operation for the first time, with cameras positioned in Camden. Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner Professor William Webster warned police could face legal challenges over the use of the technology.
