Clashes with police after up to 150,000 gather at far-right UK rally

Clashes erupted in London Saturday and police made 25 arrests after up to 150,000 people massed for one of the largest-ever far-right protests in Britain, organised by activist Tommy Robinson.

Police said 26 officers were injured, four seriously, after facing "unacceptable violence" while trying to control the crowds, many draped in English and British flags, during several tense hours on the rally's fringes.

The Metropolitan Police - which estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people turned out, "significantly exceeding" organisers' estimates -- said the clashes broke out after some attendees tried to enter so-called "sterile areas" near counter-protesters.

Around 5,000 people had attended a Stand Up to Racism march which began around a mile to the north. About 1,000 police were deployed to keep the rival groups apart.

"There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence," 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 added arrests were made for violent disorder, assault and other offences, while officers' injuries included broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, and a prolapsed disc.

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood condemned "those who have attacked and injured police officers" and insisted "anyone taking part in criminal activity will face the full force of the law".

'Need to be heard'

Protesters at Robinson's latest "Unite the Kingdom" event had marched over Westminster Bridge before rallying near Downing Street for speeches by figures associated with the far right from across Europe and North America, including billionaire X owner Elon Musk.

Anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate, which has monitored such rallies for more than a decade, said "a number of well known far-right extremists" including Robinson spoke on-stage and were among the crowds.

Joe Mulhall, its director of Research, told the BBC it was "probably... the largest far-right demonstration ever in Britain".

King's College London assistant public policy professor Georgios Samaras agreed, saying it showed "multiple factions within the far-right" as well as newcomers had converged in London.

It comes amid growing anti-immigration sentiment, as Brexit supporter Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK leads in polls and protesters target hotels used to house asylum seekers.

It also follows anti-immigration riots last year in numerous towns and cities, which Robinson was accused of fuelling with incendiary online posts.

Charlie Kirk eulogised

The 42-year-old, who has a string of criminal convictions and a large online following after years spearheading a fervent anti-Muslim and anti-migrant agenda, billed Saturday as a "free speech festival".

"Millions of patriots... in a show of patriotic unity like nothing seen before," Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posted on X with an image of the crowds shortly after the event ended early evening.

"This one is for you Charlie Kirk," Robinson added, in one of many references at the rally to the slain right-wing American activist and ally of Donald Trump.

Some attendees attached pictures of Kirk to their placards, while other signs included slogans like "stop the boats" and derided Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"I can't believe it," Emily Rose told AFP, taking in the crowds, after travelling from Glasgow in Scotland and donning a dress emblazoned with Britain's Union Jack flag.

"I knew I needed to be here. We need to be heard".

Far-right speakers

Others there said they were motivated by immigration concerns.

Ritchie, 28, who only gave his first name, claimed Britain was seeing "an invasion" of asylum seekers arriving annually on small boats across the Channel.

At the anti-racism rally, veteran Labour lawmaker Diane Abbott accused Robinson and his allies of spreading "nonsense" and "dangerous" lies that asylum seekers were a threat.

"We need to be in solidarity with asylum seekers, and we need to show that we are united," she told Sky News.

Speakers at Robinson's event included Musk, who joined via video-link, French far-right politician Eric Zemmour and Petr Bystron of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

"You're in a fundamental situation here," Musk told the crowd, claiming "the left is the party of murder and celebrating murder".

"Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die."

Zemmour reiterated the far-right, white nationalist so-called "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, which claims white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants.

Ed Davey, leader of the UK's centrist Liberal Democrats, took to social media to criticise Musk and the violent scenes that happened.

"These far-right thugs do not speak for Britain," he added.