The Unite the Kingdom rally, led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, saw an estimated 50,000 protesters demonstrate on 16 May near Strand Campus.
The march was held in opposition to mass immigration and in support of the advancement of Christian values in Britain, as well as expressing hostility towards Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has faced significant pressure from within the Labour Party to step down this week.
The protestors mustered at Kingsway at around 10:00 am and began marching at approximately 12:40 pm in the direction of KCL’s Bush House.
The demonstration continued down the Strand and through Trafalgar Square, before reaching Parliament Square in the afternoon.
This marks the second-largest protest led by Tommy Robinson in London since September 2025. Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – co-founded the far-right, anti-Islam group English Defence League (EDL) in 2009 and has a string of past convictions for assault, threats, harassment, and fraud.
Described by the Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner as “one of the busiest days in protesting in London in recent years,” Saturday also saw a rival pro-Palestinian demonstration take place on Nakba Day – an annual commemoration of the displacement of the Palestinian people in 1948 – and the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
Approximately 4,000 officers were deployed to the capital to maintain public order, including armoured vehicles, police dogs, and the first use of live facial recognition to monitor a protest. As of 1:00 pm, eleven arrests had been made.
Chants in the crowd included “Keir Starmer is a wanker” and “we want Starmer out,” signalling a wider discontent with the current Labour government.
Roar spoke to protest attendees, who said, “We’re not racist, we love England.” Other protestors stated that “We want our culture back.” There were other placards claiming that “gender ideology is a cult” alongside the flags of St George, Israel, the United States, and Imperial Iran
The government announced major road and transport disruptions aimed “to support public safety and manage the flow of the events.”
This was written around 2pm. Information is subject to change.
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