In London, police detained 43 people during rallies by the far-right Unite the Kingdom movement and pro-Palestinian protests. Some participants are suspected of hate crimes, assaults on law enforcement officers, and public order offenses. This was reported by The Guardian with reference to the Metropolitan Police, according to UNN.
Details
According to police, 20 of those detained were participants in the Unite the Kingdom march associated with Tommy Robinson, while another 12 were participants in a pro-Palestinian demonstration. The remaining arrests were not directly linked to either event. Police also reported racist abuse directed at officers.
The march by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, drew about 60,000 people, significantly fewer than last year's event, which saw approximately 150,000 participants. Robinson himself denied the far-right nature of the movement from the stage, stating: "We are a cultural movement."
Anti-Muslim slogans were heard at the rally
Christian symbols were used during the event, and the crowd was called upon to recite the "Lord's Prayer." According to representatives of the anti-racist organization Hope Not Hate, the emphasis on religious themes may have contributed to the lower turnout for the march.
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Among those detained were people with placards reading "F*** Islam" and "Christ is King, f*** Islam." Police also detained a woman near Whitehall on suspicion of possessing a bladed weapon—a sword approximately one meter long.
Separately, police reported an assault on a person on a bus carrying pro-Palestinian protesters. According to law enforcement, a man allegedly struck a passenger following a conflict. In total, five police officers were assaulted, though none required hospitalization.
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