Tag: London

Thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters have begun marching towards Westminster while a counter-demonstration is also taking place, as the Metropolitan Police deploy more officers to keep the opposing groups apart.

Before setting off from outside Waterloo station, the protestors sang ‘Rule, Britannia!’ and chanted ‘We want Starmer out’. 

The protest is organised under the name ‘Stop the Isolation’ or ‘Unite the Kingdom’, with many carrying England and UK flags, with one person holding up a T-shirt with ‘Thank you Elon Musk‘ written on it.

Chants of ‘Oh Tommy, Tommy’ and ‘we want Tommy out’ have been heard being sung at the demonstration in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

While, one protester is carrying a flag with ‘Free Tommy Robinson’ written on it with others are wearing face masks of the political activist.

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee. 

A ‘Stop the Boats’ flag is being carried by one protester, with another flag reading ‘Britain lost a patriot – RIP Peter Lynch’.

Some protesters were wearing ‘MEGA – Make England Great Again’ hats and others have ‘I am Tommy’ stickers.

Protesters will march to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge and assemble in Parliament Street, at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

Meanwhile, a protest organised by Stand Up To Racism has started at St James’s Street, south of Piccadilly Circus. 

Protesters will march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

Signs are being held by protesters up reading ‘Oppose Tommy Robinson’ and ‘Stop the far right’ as speeches are being made to the crowd.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted, and officers will be deployed to keep the groups apart, the Met said.

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Posting on X, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘The Stand Up To Racism protest has set off from St James’s Street, heading to Whitehall via Haymarket.

‘The Stop the Isolation protest has set off from Waterloo, heading to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge.’

A post from the force at 12.35pm said ‘there have been no incidents so far’.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: ‘We will proceed to Downing Street. Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson. 

‘Deliver our message to the establishment.’ 

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: ‘We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summer’s racist riots. 

‘We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.’

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said: ‘We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.

‘We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur. 

‘Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.

‘Our assessment for tomorrow’s protest, based on the information available to us, is that an additional level of preparedness is required.

‘What our officers are wearing or the protective kit they are carrying doesn’t change their role at these events.

‘They are there to ensure all involved can exercise their right to protest peacefully, without causing serious disruption to the life of the wider community and without risking the disorder that could take place if groups with opposing views come together.’