Tens of thousands descend on London for rival protests

UK police brace for far-right rally and counter demonstration

FE Team | Published: May 16, 2026 21:56:26

LONDON, May 16 (BBC): Tens of thousands of protesters have descended on London for two rival marches - the Unite the Kingdom rally, organised by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, and a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
More than 4,000 police officers have been deployed to the capital, and they are managing a so-called "sterile zone" between the two marches. Officers are also using drones, police horses and dogs, and have armoured vehicles on standby.
The Metropolitan Police has called it one of the most significant policing operations in years.
In addition to the protests, tens of thousands of football fans are heading to Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup Final on Saturday afternoon.
Protesters attending the Unite the Kingdom march gathered in Kingsway, before heading to Whitehall and a rally in Parliament Square.
Many could be seen waving Union flags, and chants of "we want Starmer out" could be heard.
Protesters could be seen wearing "Make England Great Again (Mega)" red hats, with others draped in Union flags.
Reporting from the scene, BBC correspondent Tom Symonds said people there had a wide range of views - including those who want to see the end of the current government, and others who feel that white people, in particular white working class people, are being discriminated against in the UK today.
Police had put up barriers to block routes between the two protests.
Getty Images At least 100 people are seen in a picture from a portion of the Nakba Anniversary march in London - about a dozen Palestinian flags can be seen in the background, as well as placards in the foreground that say things like 'Free Palestine' and 'Unity over division'Getty Images
The pro-Palestinian demonstration was held to mark Nakba Day
The separate pro-Palestinian march, marking Nakba Day, started in Kensington, before heading to Waterloo Place via Piccadilly.
Nakba Day refers to the displacement of Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes during the war surrounding Israel's creation in 1948-49.
Meanwhile, thousands of people began rallying in London Saturday at a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and a counter-demonstration fused with a pro-Palestinian protest, amid a huge police presence.
London's Metropolitan Police said ahead of the duelling events that it would mount one of its largest operations in recent years, as the British capital also hosts the FA Cup Final.
The force was set to deploy 4,000 officers-alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters-to manage Robinson's so-called "Unite the Kingdom" march and the rival rally marking Nakba Day.
That commemorates the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. It will combine with an anti-fascism march organised by the Stand Up to Racism group.
The Met police estimated 30,000 people would attend that event, setting off from west London, while 50,000 would be at the "Unite the Kingdom" march starting from Holborn in the heart of the capital.
Natasha, 44, was among those who had travelled in for Robinson's rally, wearing a bucket hat in the colours of Britain's Union Jack and draped in the flag.
"It's nice to be around my own culture," she told AFP near its start-point, calling the event "patriotic" and insisting "there's nothing racist about it".
Union Jack-wielding Justin, 56, from Essex, who declined to give his last name, echoed the sentiment. He said attendees were protesting "a whole load of stuff".
"Obviously immigration is a big part of it," he noted.