Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of central London on Saturday, carrying English flags, in a demonstration organized by Tommy Robinson.

By midday, tens of thousands of protesters had gathered on the streets south of the River Thames before heading to Westminster, seat of the British Parliament as part of the “Unite the Kingdom” march.

In the past, Robinson has managed to rally tens of thousands of his supporters again at marches he has organized, such as in July 2024 when thousands of people took to the streets.

Speakers at Saturday’s rally included former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, among others. The president of the French party “Recapture”, Eric Zemour, was expected to be present.

London police have announced they will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the British capital, of which 500 have been seconded from other areas.

Meanwhile, a counter-demonstration by the “Stand up to Racism” leftist organisation, called “March Against Fascism”, was planned nearby.

Robinson’s protesters waved flags of England, as well as the US and Israel. Others wore hats emblazoned with US President Donald Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) slogan. One man even held a wooden cross that read “RIP Charlie Kirk.”

At the same time, they were chanting slogans against British Prime Minister Kir Starmer and had banners some of which read slogans such as “Send them home” and “Stop the boats” in a reference to the migrant boats crossing the Channel to Britain.

Illegal immigration has become a key political issue in Britain in recent months, more so than the country’s difficult economic situation. The summer has been particularly tense, with many anti-immigrant protests and riots outside hotels hosting asylum seekers.

Since the start of the year more than 28,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats to reach British shores.

“Hundreds of thousands have already filled the streets of central London as we unite as one for our freedoms,” he wrote in X.

Who is Tommy Robinson

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a journalist who, as he says, “exposes the evils of the state”. Among his supporters is billionaire Elon Musk.

Robinson has called today’s march a celebration of free speech. He is also expected to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, the American conservative activist who was murdered on Wednesday.