About 110,000 folks attending ‘unite the dominion’ rally, say Met police
The Metropolitan police consider that there are about 110,000 folks in attendance on the ‘unite the dominion’ demonstration and about 5,000 on the Stand As much as Racism march.
Talking to the Guardian on Saturday afternoon, the Met police stated:
It’s tough to estimate numbers in attendance at busy protests however we use a mix of CCTV and police helicopter footage to take action.
We consider the variety of folks in attendance on the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ demonstration is round 110,000.
We consider the variety of folks in attendance on the ‘Stand Up To Racism’ demonstration is round 5,000.
Estimates offered by organisers and the police will typically differ.
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Up to date at 09.29 EDT
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Hundreds of anti-fascist protesters have arrived on Whitehall shouting “our streets” and “the folks united won’t ever be defeated”. They turned the nook into the road shortly earlier than 2.30pm and walked in the direction of a stage the place audio system will quickly handle the crowds, experiences the PA information company.
Stand As much as Racism supporters display in opposition to the ‘unite our kingdom’ rally, in London, on Saturday. {Photograph}: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters
St George’s and union jack flags could possibly be seen on the opposite finish of Whitehall the place the ‘unite our kingdom’ march is being held, with the 2 demonstrations divided by a big police presence together with vans.
Folks attending the ‘unite our kingdom’ rally flying St George’s flags and holding placards in central London. {Photograph}: Jaimi Pleasure/ReutersShare
In the meantime, prime minister Keir Starmer has been photographed on the Arsenal v Nottingham Forest soccer match going down on the Emirates Stadium in London at this time.
The prime minister is a longtime Arsenal fan with Jeremy Corbyn beforehand having described Starmer as “a real Arsenal supporter”.
Prime minister Keir Starmer within the stands in the course of the Arsenal v Nottingham Forest match on the Emirates Stadium, London, on Saturday. {Photograph}: John Sibley/Motion Photographs/ReutersShare
Up to date at 09.45 EDT
About 110,000 folks attending ‘unite the dominion’ rally, say Met police
The Metropolitan police consider that there are about 110,000 folks in attendance on the ‘unite the dominion’ demonstration and about 5,000 on the Stand As much as Racism march.
Talking to the Guardian on Saturday afternoon, the Met police stated:
It’s tough to estimate numbers in attendance at busy protests however we use a mix of CCTV and police helicopter footage to take action.
We consider the variety of folks in attendance on the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ demonstration is round 110,000.
We consider the variety of folks in attendance on the ‘Stand Up To Racism’ demonstration is round 5,000.
Estimates offered by organisers and the police will typically differ.
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Up to date at 09.29 EDT
Scotland Yard additionally stated there had been “no incidents of observe” because the Stand Up To Racism march set off.
A whole bunch of Stand As much as Racism protesters have began to march in the direction of Whitehall from Russell Sq.. The gang chanted “rise up battle again” and “we’re the ladies, we gained’t be silenced, cease the fascists now, now, now, now”.
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Counter-protest march units off from Russell Sq. in the direction of Whitehall
Robyn Vinter
The anti-fascist counter protesters are actually on the transfer in the direction of Whitehall.
The ultimate speech, earlier than the group set off was from Weyman Bennett, founding father of Unite In opposition to Fascism. He stated:
The place does racism and fascism come from? It comes from the highest of our society. They begin off by telling lies to divide and rule.
Talking of Tommy Robinson, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and people attending the ‘unite the dominion’ march, he stated:
They speak about freedom of speech. There’s no such factor [as] freedom of speech in the event you say you need to kill another person.
There have been boos from the group as he defined that Charlie Kirk, the rightwing activist shot useless within the US this week, had beforehand stated black folks shouldn’t have the fitting to vote. He stated:
Don’t inform us to really feel sorry for somebody like that.
He added:
Tommy Robinson stated we shouldn’t march at this time as a result of we must be afraid of him. We keep to the racists and fascists, they need to be afraid of us!
A supporter of ‘Stand As much as Racism’ holds a placard studying ‘battle ignorance not immigrants’, in London on Saturday. {Photograph}: Tayfun Salcı/EPAShare
Up to date at 09.16 EDT
The Labour authorities has been “attempting to out-racist the racists all summer season”, the co-convener of Stand As much as Racism stated as she opened the rally speeches at Russell Sq..
In response to the PA information company, Sabby Dhalu thanked the “very joyful” and “militant” crowd of a whole lot, earlier than telling them:
We’ve received to acknowledge that the occasions over the summer season – all the far-right protests, all the far-right uniting behind this poisonous narrative, and Reform UK and Nigel Farage, together with Tory politicians like Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman encouraging the protesters, attending the protests in varied elements of the nation – has meant that we’re going to see a really massive Tommy Robinson demonstration at this time.
She added:
Sadly that narrative has been conceded to by the Labour authorities who’ve been attempting to out-racist the racists all summer season, which has simply fed this poisonous narrative and hatred and racism in the direction of refugees.
Dhalu was adopted by creator, historian and youngster sexual abuse survivor Louise Uncooked – the founding father of Survivors In opposition to Fascism – who claimed some far-right protesters who’ve spoken out in opposition to intercourse assaults had been offenders themselves.
“We all know the far-right don’t stand with survivors, they create survivors”, she stated, including: “Tommy Robinson won’t ever converse to you about them ever.”
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‘Unite the dominion’ march will get beneath manner as Tommy Robinson says ‘Britain has lastly awoken’
Scotland Yard stated there “have been no incidents of observe up to now” because the ‘unite the dominion’ march set off in the direction of Whitehall.
Tommy Robinson, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, stated “patriotism is the long run, borders are the long run” as he claimed it was the “largest demonstration is British historical past”. As we talked about beforehand, any estimate on numbers at this stage is precisely that – an estimate – and organisers of marches are probably tremendously inflate the variety of these current.
In a video from the protest, Robinson added that “Britain has lastly awoken” and that “that is by no means going away”.
The PA information company experiences that folks could possibly be seen displaying quite a lot of messages on flags and placards on London’s south financial institution on the march assembly level. Some waved St George’s flags with the phrases “cease the boats”, “Charlie Kirk RIP” and “sufficient is sufficient, save our youngsters”.
A number of US and Israeli flags is also noticed among the many crowd which had gathered on and round Stamford Road.
Males in union jack flag fits maintain an image of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot earlier this week, as they attend the ‘unite the dominion’ march in London. {Photograph}: Jaimi Pleasure/ReutersShare
Up to date at 08.59 EDT
Sammy Gecsoyler
Giant crowds have begun marching throughout Westminster Bridge in the direction of Whitehall, with varied chants of “Tommy”, “Keir Starmer is a wanker”, “Whose road? Our road” and “England”.
Some are holding indicators in help of Tommy Robinson, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
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Up to date at 08.30 EDT
Robyn Vinter
Hundreds of counter-protesters are wrapped round one aspect of Russell Sq., coming from commerce unions and anti-racist teams together with Stand As much as Racism. The gang is chanting “refugees are welcome right here”.
Counter-protesters and police in Russell Sq.. {Photograph}: Robyn Vinter
The MP for Poplar and Limehouse, Apsana Begum, is giving a speech calling for solidarity amongst communities within the UK in opposition to fascism.
“Let’s stand right here and ship a message to the far proper who proceed to unfold division and hate,” she stated. “Not right here!”
Fiona Sutherland from Tottenham holding a placard that reads ‘the issue isn’t the small boats, it’s the tremendous yachts.’ {Photograph}: Robyn VinterShare
Up to date at 08.26 EDT
Ant Middleton, Katie Hopkins and an MEP for the populist German AFD celebration featured in a video posted by Tommy Robinson, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, titled “the A workforce” on X.
They, together with different right-wing social media personalities had been sitting and laughing round a desk, ready for the march to Whitehall to start, experiences the PA information company.
Exterior on the streets, folks waving flags, some adorned in knight outfits or union jack flag fits could possibly be heard chanting Robinson’s identify on his livestream which on the time of reporting had greater than 250,000 viewers.
From the group, a person from New Zealand stated he had flown over with “about 100 of my warriors” to participate within the march, experiences the PA information company.
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Up to date at 08.27 EDT
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson stated the “revolution is on” in a video posted to X the place he claimed his ‘unite the dominion’ march was the most important demonstration in British historical past.
As we talked about beforehand, any estimate on numbers at this stage is precisely that – an estimate – and organisers of marches are probably tremendously inflate the variety of these current.
Robinson instructed his followers that London was stuffed with “patriots” earlier than saying “the spark has began, the revolution is on”.
There are greater than 400,000 folks watching Robinson’s reside stream on X as they chanted his identify and “Keir Starmer is a wanker”.
A presenter on the stream stated Robinson is “on his manner” to the crowds now.
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Up to date at 09.00 EDT
Helen Pidd
Listed here are some photos from one in all our reporters on the bottom, Helen Pidd:
{Photograph}: Helen Pidd/The Guardian {Photograph}: Helen Pidd/The Guardian {Photograph}: Helen Pidd/The GuardianShare
Counter-protesters in Russell Sq., in the meantime, are milling round with placards that say “refugees welcome” and “oppose Tommy Robinson”, chanting: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome right here.”
{Photograph}: Pol Allingham/PAShareHelen Pidd
Many hundreds of individuals are gathering for the march on Stamford St close to Waterloo.
The gang is 70-80% male and virtually completely white.
Flags and banners are in all places and other people hold singing “Keir Starmer’s a wanker” to the tune of Seven Nation Military.
A person has his face painted within the cross of St George. {Photograph}: Tayfun Salcı/EPAShare
A whole bunch of individuals had been gathered exterior Blackfriars station and lined alongside Blackfriars Bridge earlier than the rally, PA experiences.
Pockets of the group began chanting “fuck you Starmer” whereas many had been sporting or holding England and Union flags
London Underground trains heading in the direction of the station had been full of folks seemingly on the best way to the demonstration.
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We’ve received a couple of extra photos from central London:
{Photograph}: Tayfun Salcı/EPA {Photograph}: Tayfun Salcı/EPACounter protesters in opposition to Robinson’s rally. {Photograph}: Pol Allingham/PAShare
Up to date at 07.20 EDT
As ever with massive protests or marches, it may be exhausting to get an correct determine on how many individuals are attending, with estimates typically relying in inflated figures from organisers.
Nonetheless, the PA information company is reporting that the variety of attendees is already within the ‘hundreds’.
Entrance loop rightwing rally
The ‘unite the dominion’ march and rally organised by Robinson, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, started in Stamford Road close to Waterloo Bridge with crowds constructing since mid-morning.
The crowds will march in the direction of the southern finish of Whitehall.
Round 1,000 officers will probably be deployed in London in a bid to forestall clashes between protesters with opposing views.
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Up to date at 07.15 EDT
