Thousands of people have assembled in London for a rally organised by activist Tommy Robinson, titled “Unite the Kingdom.” The event is taking place in scotland/”>scotland/whitehall/”>whitehall-england/”>Whitehall on Saturday afternoon, with large crowds already gathering near waterloo/”>waterloo-scotland/”>Waterloo Station, many waving Union and St George’s Cross flags.

Counter-Protest Underway

Simultaneously, a counter-protest named March Against Fascism, organised by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), is also set to occur in the city today. Protesters at the counter-demonstration have been spotted in Russell Square, carrying placards that read “Refugees welcome” and “Oppose Tommy Robinson,” while chanting, “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.

 

Thousands Gather in London for Tommy Robinson Rally

Police Deployment and Safety Measures

In a bid to prevent clashes between the opposing groups, around 1,000 police officers have been deployed across London. Authorities have confirmed that they will not be using facial recognition technology for the rally, although a mobile CCTV unit is in operation.

 

Thousands Gather in London for Tommy Robinson Rally

Event Details and Attendance Claims

Supporters of Robinson have claimed that a million people are attending the Unite the Kingdom event, although the Metropolitan Police has stated it will not provide a crowd estimate. A livestream of the rally on Robinson’s X account reportedly attracted over 300,000 viewers by midday.

The march commenced on Stamford Street near Waterloo Bridge, with crowds building since mid-morning. The attendees are expected to march towards the southern end of Whitehall.

Counter-Protest March Route

The SUTR protest is scheduled to gather in Russell Square from midday before marching through Kingsway, Aldwych, and the Strand to the northern end of Whitehall for their rally. The SUTR event will be led by hundreds of women, including independent MP Diane Abbott.

Strict Conditions for Protesters

Robinson has urged attendees of his rally to refrain from wearing masks, consuming alcohol, or engaging in violence. The Metropolitan Police has imposed strict conditions under the Public Order Act regarding the timing and location of both protests, with the SUTR event concluding at 4pm and the Unite the Kingdom event wrapping up at 6pm.