LONDON, United Kingdom – Central London was brought to a standstill on Saturday as a massive anti-immigration protest, reportedly drawing over 110,000 people, descended on the city. The “Unite the Kingdom” march, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, saw participants clash violently with police, leading to a state of chaos and a significant number of injuries to officers.
The protest, which was held in the aftermath of the murder of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, quickly spiraled out of control as protesters tried to breach police cordons and get to a counter-protest organized by anti-fascist groups. The sheer scale of the protest far exceeded police estimates, overwhelming their ability to maintain order.
Police Brutally Attacked
The Metropolitan Police described facing “unacceptable violence” from the protesters. In a statement, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said, “They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.” He confirmed that at least 26 officers were injured, with four sustaining serious injuries, including broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc, and a head injury.
Photos and videos from the scene showed protesters kicking, punching, and throwing bottles and flares at officers. “We are here to stand together, we are here to fight, and we are here in the certainty that we will defeat the fascists,” one of the protesters told The Guardian, just moments before the clashes.
International Media Reacts
The protests and the subsequent violence have been a major focus of international media, highlighting the rising political tensions in the UK.
French far-right politician Eric Zemmour, who addressed the crowd via video, echoed a familiar refrain of the European far-right, telling the British crowd, “We are both subject to the same process of the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture.”
U.S. billionaire Elon Musk also joined the event via video link. According to a report by The Guardian, he told the crowd, “There’s something beautiful about being British and what I see happening here is a destruction of Britain, initially a slow erosion, but rapidly increasing erosion of Britain with massive uncontrolled migration.” He added, “Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.”
A Reuters report quoted a protester, Sandra Mitchell, who said, “They need to stop illegal migration into this country. It’s tearing us apart.”
Meanwhile, a small “March Against Fascism,” organized by anti-racist groups, was held on a separate route, with an estimated 5,000 people in attendance. A teacher who attended the counter-protest, Ben Hetchin, told a news outlet, “The idea of hate is dividing us and I think the more that we welcome people the stronger we are as a country.”
The protests, which have been fueled by a highly charged debate over migrants crossing the English Channel, are a stark reminder of the deep divisions within British society and the growing influence of anti-immigration sentiment.
