Tens of Thousands Rally in London for Competing Far-Right and Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations

Tens of thousands of people marched in London, UK, today, with one demonstration initiated by far-right figure Tommy Robinson and another being a counter-protest merged with a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Police launched a large-scale operation to separate participants from opposing camps. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that the London Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers, along with mounted police, police dogs, drones, and helicopters, to manage Robinson's 'Unite the Kingdom' march, a rally commemorating 'Nakba Day,' and events related to the England FA Cup final. Nakba Day commemorates the displacement of Palestinians during the establishment of Israel in 1948. The rally took place in London's West End, concluding with speeches near Piccadilly, and merged with an anti-fascist march organized by 'Stand Up to Racism'. The 'Unite the Kingdom' march started from Holborn in central London and ended at Parliament Square, where Robinson and others addressed the assembled crowd. Christine Turner, 66, from northeastern England, told AFP at the event, 'Immigration is the most worrying issue. We are an island nation with clear borders, and the authorities are not guarding them properly. Action must be taken; this situation has gone on for too long.' Participants came from all over, some wearing red hats with 'Make England Great Again' (MEGA), while others held wooden crosses and chanted 'Christ is King.' The Metropolitan Police has not yet released estimated attendance figures, but aerial footage from British media showed tens of thousands flocking to the 'Unite the Kingdom' rally, with numerous British flags, St. George's flags, and other banners visible. In contrast, an AFP reporter at the counter-demonstration estimated the crowd size at only a few thousand. In its latest report tonight, the police stated that officers made 43 arrests at the two protests, with an additional 22 arrests at the Chelsea vs. Manchester City FA Cup final at Wembley.