London police are preparing for their busiest day in years on Saturday, as tens of thousands of protesters are expected to attend a rally organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The Metropolitan Police will deploy 4,000 officers, along with horses, dogs, drones, and helicopters, to manage the march, a counter-demonstration merged with a pro-Palestinian protest, and the FA Cup final.
The Met has imposed conditions on the rallies, including restrictions on routes and timings, to keep opposing groups apart. The operation is estimated to cost £4.5 million ($6 million). The force has warned of a zero-tolerance approach, including making organizers legally responsible for ensuring invited speakers do not break hate speech laws.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that anyone seeking to cause havoc or intimidate others will face the full force of the law. He accused the rally organizers of peddling hatred and division, emphasizing that their goal is to convince people that Britain's problems are caused by those living alongside them.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a former football hooligan turned anti-Islam activist. His profile has soared in recent years, particularly online. Last September, he drew up to 150,000 people to central London for a similar rally. That event shocked mainstream Britain due to its scale and raw messaging, as well as clashes with police that injured dozens of officers.
Robinson's growing appeal is fueled by public anger over migrant crossings, immigration policies, and alleged free speech curbs. The Met estimates around 50,000 of his supporters will attend on Saturday, with 30,000 expected at the rival Nakba Day rally commemorating the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians. The Stand Up to Racism group has combined its anti-fascism march with the Nakba Day event.
Robinson has urged attendees to be peaceful and courteous, not to wear masks or drink excessive alcohol. He predicted the rally would be the biggest patriotic rally to grace the planet.
Starmer's office acknowledged that the majority of protesters are law-abiding citizens but cautioned that a minority are violent thugs. Police also fear the presence of football hooligan groups that have previously supported Robinson. Matthew Feldman, an academic expert on far-right extremism, said it was a certainty that some hotheads would attend, and the key question is how internal stewards and police handle them.
The Met will use live facial recognition for the first time to police a protest. The government has blocked 11 foreign far-right agitators from entering Britain, including US-based extremist Valentina Gomez, known for inflammatory rhetoric about Muslim communities. Feldman noted that Robinson's event is part of an international network.
