Crowds gather in London for ‘unite the kingdom’ march featuring Tommy Robinson
Here are some images coming in today via the newswires of crowds gathering in central London for a march featuring far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
The rally is expected to attract upwards of 40,000 attenders, according to the anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate. A smaller gathering organised by the group Stand Up to Racism is also taking place.
People carrying flags and banners gather in London for a march involving far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesPeople carrying flags and banners gather in London for a march involving far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesPeople carrying flags and banners gather in London for a march involving far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 06.00 EDT
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Sammy Gecsoyler
Large crowds have begun marching across Westminster Bridge towards Whitehall, with various chants of “Tommy”, “Keir Starmer is a wanker”, “Whose street? Our street” and “England”.
Some are holding signs in support of Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
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Updated at 08.30 EDT
Robyn Vinter
Thousands of counter-protesters are wrapped around one side of Russell Square, coming from trade unions and anti-racist groups including Stand Up to Racism. The crowd is chanting “refugees are welcome here”.
Counter-protesters and police in Russell Square. Photograph: Robyn Vinter
The MP for Poplar and Limehouse, Apsana Begum, is giving a speech calling for solidarity among communities in the UK in opposition to fascism.
“Let’s stand here and send a message to the far right who continue to spread division and hate,” she said. “Not here!”
Fiona Sutherland from Tottenham holding a placard that reads ‘the problem isn’t the small boats, it’s the super yachts.’ Photograph: Robyn VinterShare
Updated at 08.26 EDT
Ant Middleton, Katie Hopkins and an MEP for the populist German AFD party featured in a video posted by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, titled “the A team” on X.
They, along with other right-wing social media personalities were sitting and laughing around a table, waiting for the march to Whitehall to begin, reports the PA news agency.
Outside on the streets, people waving flags, some adorned in knight outfits or union jack flag suits could be heard chanting Robinson’s name on his livestream which at the time of reporting had more than 250,000 viewers.
From the crowd, a man from New Zealand said he had flown over with “about 100 of my warriors” to take part in the march, reports the PA news agency.
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Updated at 08.27 EDT
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson said the “revolution is on” in a video posted to X where he claimed his ‘unite the kingdom’ protest was the largest demonstration in British history.
As we mentioned previously, any estimate on numbers at this stage is exactly that – an estimate – and organisers of marches are likely greatly inflate the number of those present.
Robinson told his followers that London was full of “patriots” before saying “the spark has started, the revolution is on”.
There are more than 400,000 people watching Robinson’s live stream on X as they chanted his name and “Keir Starmer is a wanker”.
A presenter on the stream said Robinson is “on his way” to the protesters now.
ShareHelen Pidd
Here are some images from one of our reporters on the ground, Helen Pidd:
Photograph: Helen Pidd/The Guardian Photograph: Helen Pidd/The Guardian Photograph: Helen Pidd/The GuardianShare
Counter-protesters in Russell Square, meanwhile, are milling around with placards that say “refugees welcome” and “oppose Tommy Robinson”, chanting: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.”
Photograph: Pol Allingham/PAShareHelen Pidd
Many thousands of people are gathering for the march on Stamford St near Waterloo.
The crowd is 70-80% male and almost exclusively white.
Flags and banners are everywhere and people keep singing “Keir Starmer’s a wanker” to the tune of Seven Nation Army.
A man has his face painted in the cross of St George. Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/EPAShare
Hundreds of people were gathered outside Blackfriars station and lined along Blackfriars Bridge before the rally, PA reports.
Pockets of the crowd started chanting “fuck you Starmer” while many were wearing or holding England and Union flags
London Underground trains heading towards the station were packed with people seemingly on the way to the demonstration.
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We’ve got a few more pictures from central London:
Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/EPA Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/EPACounter protesters against Robinson’s rally. Photograph: Pol Allingham/PAShare
Updated at 07.20 EDT
As ever with large protests or marches, it can be hard to get an accurate figure on how many people are attending, with estimates often relying in inflated figures from organisers.
However, the PA news agency is reporting that the number of attendees is already in the ‘thousands’.
Front loop rightwing rally
The ‘unite the kingdom’ march and rally organised by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, began in Stamford Street near Waterloo Bridge with crowds building since mid-morning.
The crowds will march towards the southern end of Whitehall.
Around 1,000 officers will be deployed in London in a bid to prevent clashes between protesters with opposing views.
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Updated at 07.15 EDT
