Masked Muslim youths took to the streets of east London on Saturday, vowing to stand firm against far-right UKIP after police banned the party’s “crusade” march from Tower Hamlets. The counter-protesters, clad in black with faces covered, gathered in Whitechapel waving Bangladesh and Palestine flags while UKIP’s march was pushed nine miles west to Marble Arch.

Defiant Message in Whitechapel: “We Will Defend Our Community”

A speaker addressing the Whitechapel crowd blasted UKIP’s plans as a direct attack on Islam. “They came specifically targeting Islam,” he said, quoting the far-right’s call for a “crusade” to “take back our streets.”

“We stand firm to let them know if you come, we will stand firm and will be ready to defend our elders, to defend our women, to defend our community,”

Chants in Arabic echoed through the demonstration as the speaker insisted their protest was purely defensive: “We have never once said we were going on crusades or going into your areas to cause you problems. You are coming into our homes and you want to cause us problems. What is wrong with us standing up?”

Met Police Block UKIP from Tower Hamlets Over Disorder Fears

The Metropolitan Police stepped in early last week, banning UKIP from entering Tower Hamlets after deeming their proposed “mass deportations” march a serious risk for violent clashes. Originally set to start outside Whitechapel Station, the far-right rally was moved 9 miles west to Marble Arch.

Commander Nick John explained the tough stance: “Tower Hamlets has the largest percentage of Muslim residents anywhere in the UK and the prospect of this protest taking place in the heart of the borough has been the cause of significant concern locally… there is a realistic prospect of serious disorder.”

UKIP Marches in Kensington, Faces Four Arrests

About 75 UKIP supporters gathered near a Catholic church in Kensington before marching to Marble Arch. They carried banners reading “Islamist invaders not welcome in Britain” and chanted slogans like “send them home” and “hail the nation, deportation.” Leader Nick Tenconi called for a “ninth crusade” against Islamism and Communism, fulfilling his promise to confront “communists and Islamists” with “Christian courage.”

Four counter-protesters were arrested for breaching police conditions trying to confront the march. A local wedding guest near the London Oratory church complained the demonstration “massively disrupted proceedings” and left “the bride shattered.”

Community Stands United Against Far-Right Intimidation

The counter-demonstration in Whitechapel went ahead under the banner of unity, featuring local groups and Stand Up To Racism. Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman praised police intervention, warning the far-right rally “would have caused significant disruption and intimidation… and spread fear and prejudice.”

“From the Battle of Cable Street to today, the far right has never succeeded in dividing our community and they never will,”

– Mayor Lutfur Rahman

Rahman referenced the legendary 1936 Battle of Cable Street, when 100,000 locals united to block fascists marching through the East End. The borough continues its long tradition of resisting fascism, with locals uniting against the National Front in the 1970s and the English Defence League in 2013.

UKIP Slams Police, Claims “Two-Tier Policing”

UKIP accused the Met of “caving into Islamists” and suppressing democratic rights. Tenconi blasted the police restrictions as “two-tier policing at its worst” and claimed officers had “lost control of the streets of London.”

The police defended their culture of balancing competing protests, pointing out similar bans near synagogues and Jewish neighbourhoods in recent years and stressing safety first.

UKIP’s New Identity: From Eurosceptics to Angry Far-Right Street Warriors

Under Tenconi’s leadership since 2025, UKIP has transformed from a eurosceptic force to an aggressive far-right street movement focusing on Christian identity politics and anti-immigration demonstrations.

Former leader Nigel Farage quit in 2018, condemning the party’s obsession with Islam and links to extremist groups.

What’s Next?

The UKIP “mass deportations tour” continues across UK cities, promising more clashes as communities stand united against far-right intimidation.