London’s Metropolitan Police mounted one of its largest public order operations of the year on Saturday, seeking to prevent clashes between rival demonstrations and to secure the climax of the English soccer season. The force deployed at least 4,000 officers, along with armored vehicles, mounted units, dogs, drones, and helicopters, in what it described as a “significant public order policing operation.”
The primary concern lay in central London, where police worked to keep apart two marches: one organized by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — the far-right agitator known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson — and the annual demonstration marking the Nakba, the Arabic term for “catastrophe” referring to the exodus of some 700,000 Palestinians from what became Israel in 1948. Police remained on guard into the evening for potential clashes involving splinter groups that had broken away from the main marches.
By 7:30 p.m., police reported that 43 people had been arrested across the protest sites for a range of offenses. A further 22 arrests were made at the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, where Manchester City beat Chelsea before a crowd of more than 83,000. Four officers were assaulted during the day, none seriously, and six more were subjected to what police classified as hate crime offenses.
The marches unfolded at what the Associated Press described as “a particularly radicalized time in British politics,” following local elections the previous week in which the far right and the far left both gained ground. Those demonstrating were motivated by a range of grievances, from anger over the number of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that the conflict has killed more than 72,700 people.
Before the rallies, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that the government had barred 11 foreign nationals from entering the U.K. to attend the “Unite the Kingdom” rally. Right-wing figures who said they had been blocked included Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez, and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.
“We will block those coming into the U.K. who seek to incite hatred and violence,” Starmer said. “For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.” Starmer visited the Metropolitan Police command center the day before to discuss the policing arrangements with Commissioner Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The Crown Prosecution Service alerted prosecutors to consider whether placards, banners, and chants visible on social media might constitute incitement to hatred during the rallies. “This is not about restricting free speech,” said the service’s director, Stephen Parkinson. “It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.”
In a first for protest policing in the U.K., live facial recognition cameras were deployed in the north London neighborhood of Camden. The area is not on the route of the “Unite the Kingdom” march but was expected to see heavy use by attendees traveling to the event.