Six people have been arrested after thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters marched in central London on Saturday, with some caught entering a counter-demo area, said the Met Police.
Hundreds of police officers were deployed in response to the protest, organised under the name “Stop the Isolation” or “Unite the Kingdom” in support of Robinson, as well as a separate counter-demonstration.
Chants of “We want our country back” and “We want Tommy out” were sung as the demonstration set off from outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.
The counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism also marched to Whitehall to stand “together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we won’t let the far right divide us”.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the solicitor general took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021. He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.
On Saturday, the Met Police said six people had been arrested.
The force reported an incident where a flare was set off, an arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at and three arrests in Whitehall after “Stop the Isolation” protesters entered the “Stand Up To Racism” rally area in breach of conditions.
A further arrest was made by the force for a breach of Public Order Act conditions.
Some demonstrators were wearing “MEGA – Make England Great Again” hats and “I am Tommy” stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones.
Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, saying: “We will proceed to Downing Street. Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.
“Deliver our message to the establishment.”
Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: “We saw the power of mobilising against the far right in response to last summer’s racist riots.
“We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.”
Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said the force was “well prepared” for both protests and had been in discussion with organisers.
She said: “We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.
“Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.”
