Unite the Kingdom rally, London (Pic credit: AP)
More than 100,000 people gathered in central London on Saturday for a rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, marking one of Britain’s largest nationalist gatherings in decades. Robinson — born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon called for “Unite the Kingdom” march in a face-off to rival counter-protest organized by the Stand Up To Racism group under the banner of the “March Against Fascism.” Authorities deployed over 1,000 officers to manage the dueling demonstrations, setting up buffer zones near government buildings to prevent clashes. The rally, which Robinson linked to the killing of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, featured high-profile right-wing figures from Britain, the US and Europe. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, American commentator Joey Mannarino, and a lawmaker from Germany’s far-right AfD party were listed as speakers. Robinson also invoked Kirk’s name in online posts, urging supporters to march “in honour of freedom.”“In honour of @charliekirk11 & in honour of freedom on the 13th we march,” he wrote in a separate post on X. The rally stretched from Big Ben, across the River Thames, and beyond Waterloo Station — spanning nearly a kilometer. Participants waved the Union Jack and St George’s Cross while chanting nationalist slogans such as “we want our country back.” Many carried placards demanding a crackdown on illegal migration with slogans like “stop the boats” and “send them home.”The marches come at a time when the UK has been riven by debate over migrants crossing the English Channel in overcrowded inflatable boats.This summer, UK saw several anti-migrant protests outside hotels housing asylum-seekers, some of which turned violent. Tensions spiked after the conviction of an Ethiopian man for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in suburban London, an incident that far-right groups seized upon to rally support.
