London braced as two rival protests draw crowds and heavy policing
London braced as two rival protests draw crowds and heavy policing
London deploys thousands of officers as two rival marches—one led by Tommy Robinson and a pro-Palestinian Nakba Day protest—descend on the capital, with a large policing operation in place.
Thousands gathered in London for two rival marches: Unite the Kingdom, organized by a far-right figure, and a pro-Palestinian Nakba Day demonstration. The Metropolitan Police described the operation as one of the capital's most significant policing efforts in years, with more than 4,000 officers deployed.
A so-called sterile zone was established between the marches as officers used drones, police horses and dogs, and armored vehicles were on standby. Some attendees wore red Make England Great Again hats and waved Union flags as chants echoed through Westminster.
The Unite the Kingdom march began in Kingsway and headed toward Whitehall and Parliament Square, while the pro-Palestinian march started in Kensington and moved to Waterloo Place via Piccadilly, marking Nakba Day in a show of solidarity for Palestinians.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of football fans were heading to Wembley Stadium for the FA Cup Final, adding to the city’s already full afternoon. Police urged peaceful demonstrations while remaining vigilant for any disruption.
Authorities emphasized the aim of keeping the capital safe and facilitating lawful, orderly protests amid a day of heightened tensions.
