Thousands fill central London streets for ‘protest’ in honour of Tommy Robinson | UK News

Thousands of people gathered in central London for a march led by Tommy Robinson.

Protesters wearing uniforms and waving flags representing the Union, England, Scotland and Wales chanted “Rule Britannia” and “We want our country back”.

The far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, said the protest would be “the biggest patriotic gathering the UK has ever seen”.

Around 1,000 police officers have been deployed on the streets of the capital to “keep the peace” ahead of a Stand Up To Racism counter-protest and a Trans Pride march nearby.

The ‘Uniting The Kingdom’ event, billed as “the largest patriotic gathering the UK has ever seen”, saw thousands gather on The Strand before marching to Trafalgar Square.

Robinson posted a video on X showing the crowd marching with him chanting his name, saying “we unite the people.”

Actor turned politician Laurence Fox also joined the march.

Live on X, Fox told the camera with a smile: “This is our community.”

A counter-protest by Stand Up To Racism and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace & Justice Project is expected to start from Russell Square and head to a rally in Whitehall.

It is backed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and 11 unions, as well as groups including Stop the War Coalition, Peace & Justice Project and Unite Against Fascism.

The protesters held signs reading “No to racism, no to hate” and chanted “We will not be silent.”

A statement from Stand Up to Racism said the organisation was “proud to support the Stop Tommy Robinson protest alongside a multitude of unions and organisations”.

They added that Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – “is a former Nazi BNP member and founder of the English Defence League, and mobilises a significant number of far-right thugs on the streets of London.”

After Robinson gathered more than 5,000 people for an “extremely Islamophobic” and “dangerous” event on June 1, Stand Up to Racism said it was “imperative” that they respond with a mass protest “to show that we will not tolerate fascism in our society.”

Police have already used their powers under the Public Order Act to try to separate opposing groups for fear of serious disruption.

Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, who is in charge of this weekend’s operation, warned that police would “intervene decisively” to deal with protesters who breach strict conditions on when and where they are allowed to demonstrate.

He said: “Our first priority is to maintain peace to ensure that those exercising their right to legally protest can do so safely.

“We have proactively used our powers under the Public Order Act to manage the timing and routes of marches and rallies, ensuring groups are kept separate.

“Officers will intervene decisively to deal with any breach of these conditions, prevent crime and respond to any other incidents.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe in London.

“Those who abuse the right to protest in order to unlawfully intimidate others or to engage in hate speech can expect police action.

“There will be a very visible police presence and I urge anyone in London, whether attending these events or not, to speak to an officer if they feel unsafe or wish to report an incident.”

A Trans Pride event, which includes a march from Langham Place to Wellington Arch where speeches will be given, will also take place on Saturday.

No conditions were imposed ahead of the Trans Pride event, police said.

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