By Andrew rose| September 14, 2025
LONDON
The streets of central London transformed into a sea of Union Jacks and St. George’s Cross flags on Saturday as more than 110,000 protesters converged for the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Billed as a “festival of free speech,” the event quickly escalated into one of the largest anti-immigration demonstrations in British history, drawing chants of “We want our country back” and sparking violent clashes with police. Amid the fervor, tributes to slain U.S. conservative figure Charlie Kirk added an international layer, amplifying calls for nationalism across the Atlantic
The rally, which began around midday near Trafalgar Square and snaked across Westminster Bridge toward Whitehall, far exceeded organizers’ expectations. London’s Metropolitan Police estimated attendance at 110,000 to 150,000, forcing authorities to reroute the march as crowds overflowed the approved path. “The event was too big to fit into Whitehall,” police stated in an official update, highlighting the sheer scale that turned the government district into a throbbing hub of discontent.
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Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who founded the anti-Islam English Defence League in 2009, took the stage to thunderous applause. The 42-year-old, a convicted fraudster and frequent critic of multiculturalism, framed the gathering as a defense of British heritage against “uncontrolled migration.” “Migrants have more rights in court than the British public—the people who built this nation,” he declared, echoing conspiracy-laden rhetoric that has defined his career. Supporters, many arriving by train and coach from across the UK, waved placards reading “Stop the Boats,” “Send Them Home,” and “Enough is Enough—Save Our Children.”
The atmosphere crackled with a mix of patriotism and provocation. Marchers, predominantly white and working-class, belted out adapted anthems like “Keir Starmer’s a wanker” to the tune of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Crude shouts targeted Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while others expressed solidarity with Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder assassinated in Utah earlier this month. “Charlie laid down his life for our nation,” one banner read, linking the rally to transatlantic conservative grievances.
High-profile endorsements poured in, lending the event a global sheen. Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and X owner, appeared via video link, decrying the “destruction of Britain” through “massive uncontrolled migration.” “There’s something beautiful about being British, but I see a rapid erosion,” Musk said, urging the crowd to “fight back or die.” His words, broadcast on a massive screen, drew roars from the throng. French far-right politician Eric Zemmour joined in person, invoking the “great replacement” theory: “We are being colonized by our former colonies—peoples from the south and Muslim culture.” Other speakers included actor Laurence Fox, commentator Katie Hopkins, and political pundit Carl Benjamin, who called it “a tidal wave of patriotism” against a “rotten system.”
Yet, the day was marred by unrest. As the main rally peaked, a rival “March Against Fascism” organized by Stand Up to Racism drew about 5,000 counter-protesters nearby, chanting “Refugees welcome” and “Smash the far right.” Police, deploying over 1,000 officers in helmets and riot shields, formed human barriers to keep the groups apart. Tensions boiled over in Trafalgar Square when a fringe of Robinson’s supporters hurled bottles, punches, and kicks at officers. “Unacceptable violence,” the Met Police labeled it, reporting 26 officers injured—four seriously—and 25 arrests for assault, public order offenses, and missile-throwing.
Videos circulating on X captured the chaos: a police horse staggering after a glass bottle shattered against it, baton-wielding officers pushing back surging crowds, and scuffles near Parliament where demonstrators scaled Westminster Bridge’s iconic lions. One clip showed a protester yelling “Die fascist!”—a phrase echoed in counter-protest rhetoric—before being tackled. “Officers were punched, kicked, and struck by bottles from the edges of the rally,” police confirmed. Reinforcements, including mounted units, quelled the worst flare-ups by late afternoon, but the incidents drew sharp condemnation.
The rally’s backdrop is Britain’s simmering immigration debate. This summer alone saw thousands cross the English Channel in small boats, fueling outrage after high-profile cases like the conviction of an Ethiopian asylum-seeker for assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a hotel housing migrants. Flags—once symbols of quiet national pride—now proliferate amid rising nationalism, with some councils banning them as “hate symbols.” Reform UK, the anti-immigration party topping polls, distanced itself from Robinson but capitalized on the sentiment, pledging to “stop the boats” if elected.
Critics, including Labour MP Diane Abbott at the counter-rally, decried the event as a “rally for the most anti-women forces in society,” laced with racist conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim vitriol. The Guardian described speeches as “spread[ing] racist conspiracy theories across Whitehall,” while Al Jazeera noted Robinson’s history of libel convictions. On X, reactions split sharply: supporters hailed it as “Britain waking up,” with posts claiming “3 million patriots” (a figure debunked by police), while opponents labeled it an “embarrassment” and “white victimhood.”
For many attendees like Sandra Mitchell, a 52-year-old from Manchester, it was personal. “We want our free speech back and illegal migration stopped. We believe in Tommy,” she told Reuters. Others, like a pair from Essex interviewed by The Guardian, denied far-right labels: “It’s a patriotic visit—the establishment just wants him out.”
As night fell, the crowds dispersed, leaving Whitehall littered with flags and flyers. The rally—smaller than the 300,000-strong pro-Palestinian march of November 2023 but unmatched in right-wing turnout—signals deepening divides. With Kirk’s death fresh and Musk’s platform amplifying voices, questions linger: Is this a spark for “cultural revolution,” as Robinson claims, or a dangerous flirtation with extremism?
In a post-rally X thread, Benjamin warned: “People are tired of being second-class citizens.” Yet, with 25 arrests and injured officers, the cost of unity remains high. Britain, it seems, is not just marching—it’s marching toward a reckoning.
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