Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, told tens of thousands of supporters to prepare for the 'battle of Britain' during a rally in London on Saturday. The event, the second 'Unite the Kingdom' march, saw Islamophobic and ethnonationalist hate speech and flyers distributed among the crowds.
Turnout and Policing
Organisers claimed millions attended, but police estimated the number of demonstrators at about 60,000—down from 150,000 at last September's march. The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers, armoured vehicles, dogs, drones, and helicopters, spending £4.5 million to police the march and a separate pro-Palestinian demonstration. By 7.30pm, 43 arrests had been made across both events, with two men arrested near Euston station—one wanted for grievous bodily harm and another for encouraging attacks on a police officer.
Robinson's Address
Speaking in Parliament Square, Robinson called the rally a 'turning point for Britain' and urged supporters to move beyond street protest and become involved in local politics. He said: 'Are you ready for the battle of Britain? 2029 we have an election... If we don't send a message in our next election... we are going to lose our country for ever.' He encouraged joining political parties such as Reform, Advance, Restore, or the Conservatives, and led chants of support for Elon Musk, thanking him on behalf of Great Britain.
Speakers and Themes
The rally featured a significant Christian theme, with many demonstrators carrying wooden crosses and chanting 'Christ is king'. Others wore red 'make England great again' hats. Siobhan Whyte, whose daughter Rhiannon was murdered by a Sudanese asylum seeker, criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he had failed her daughter. Polish politician Dominik Tarczyński addressed the crowd via video link, claiming he had been banned from entering the UK. The government blocked 11 foreign nationals, described by Starmer as 'far-right agitators', from entering the country before the rally. Katie Hopkins also sent a video message, praising the demonstrators for making London 'look like the place I remember'. Flyers distributed at the event called for 'a future for white people', describing attendees as 'a brotherhood of White Europeans'.
Reactions
Hope Not Hate said the scale of Robinson's movement remained 'deeply worrying', despite lower turnout. London Mayor Sadiq Khan thanked police for keeping the capital safe and urged reporting of hate crime. Justice Secretary David Lammy condemned the march's organisers for spreading 'hatred and division', while affirming the right to peaceful protest. The campaign group Led by Donkeys displayed a giant screen at the rally with the slogan: 'Immigration makes Britain brilliant.'
