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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Sami Quadri and Shaun Wilson

London protests LIVE: Thousands of protesters descend on capital in 'biggest ever anti-far right demo', say organisers

An estimated half a million people gathered in London for “the biggest demonstration ever against the far right”, organisers said.

Protesters carrying placards saying “No to racism, no to Trump”, and “Refugees welcome” marched through the capital to Whitehall amid a heavy police presence, with officers lining the streets.

Organisers said their estimates showed they had successfully outnumbered the Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom rally in London in September.

That demonstration – organised by right-wing activist Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – was attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people, while about 5,000 were involved in an anti-racism counter-demonstration.

There were several incidents of violent disorder which left some police officers injured on that occasion, and the event was condemned at the time by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said it had left people feeling “more scared than they were before”.

On Saturday, organisers said people had gathered for a “peaceful” demonstration against “hatred and division and racism”.

Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the coalition, told crowds gathered on Whitehall: “Our estimate is now that there are half a million people on this demonstration – the biggest demonstration ever against the far right.

“And it gives us all confidence to carry on. Thank you very much.”

Scroll down for the latest updates.

Met Police make arrests as counter protesters appear

16:04 , Shaun Wilson

Half a million turn out for protest

15:33 , Shaun Wilson

An estimated half a million people have gathered in London for the Together Alliance march against the far right, organisers said.

Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the coalition, told crowds gathered on Whitehall: “Our estimate is now that there are half a million people on this demonstration – the biggest demonstration ever against the far right.

“And it gives us all confidence to carry on. Thank you very much.”

Two arrested 'for trying to climb pillars at Trafalgar Square'

15:11 , Shaun Wilson

Two activists have been arrested after allegedly trying climb pillars outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.

The Met Police posted on X: “Officers are on the scene at The National Gallery, where two protesters are attempting to climb the pillars facing Trafalgar Square. Specialist officers are being called in to safely remove them so they can be arrested.

“Both protesters came down without assistance. They’ve been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.”

15:01 , Stewart Carr

A group of Iranian dissidents have come out to counter today’s Together Alliance protest, signifying their opposition to Iran’s military regime

Iranians come out to counter Together Alliance protest

14:57 , Shaun Wilson

A group of Iranian dissidents have come out to counter today’s Together Alliance protest, siginifying their opposition to Iran’s military regime

Organisers say far-right ‘intimidated’ as thousands rally

14:11 , Sami Quadri

Organisers of a mass demonstration in central London said they believe the size of the turnout has “intimidated the far right” away from staging a counter-protest.

Huge crowds gathered in the capital for the Together Alliance event, billed as a stand against the “politics of division”, with a march, speeches on Whitehall and a music event in Trafalgar Square.

Co-organiser Sabby Dhalu said the UK is seeing an “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right groups, pointing to last year’s Unite the Kingdom rally led by Tommy Robinson.

She said: “The Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom demonstration back in September 2025 was the biggest far-right mobilisation in British history.

“We believe that the majority of British people stand against the hatred and division and racism that was being encouraged at that demonstration and by these types of organisations, and it’s time to act.”

Addressing concerns about possible disorder, Ms Dhalu added: “We’re not worried about anything like that today. We haven’t had any intelligence about anything like that is being planned.

“We’re confident that the size of our mobilisation here today has actually intimidated the far-right, and I think they feel that they are not confident enough to stand against us because they know that we’re going to be out in big numbers.”

Huge police presence as Together Alliance's march prepares to set off towards Whitehall

13:21 , Sami Quadri

There is a heavy police presence on Park Lane and Piccadilly in central London as the Together Alliance’s anti-racism march prepares to set off towards Whitehall.

Police are lining the streets in preparation for the march, while stewards helping to organise the rally hand out maps of the route and marshal the protesters.

Demonstrator warns of ‘very dangerous times’ amid far-right fears

13:10 , Sami Quadri

Crawford Logan, 76, from Stirling, Scotland, said he wanted to support both the protest against the far right, and the pro-Palestine march also taking place on Saturday.

He said: “There is a kind of dual purpose to this: there’s this march about the far right, but there’s also the Stop the War coalition as well, so you’ve got two major events on, and they are in parallel I think with the No Kings protests that are going on in the States today.

“And of course, it’s just very dangerous times.”

Asked whether he is worried about the rise of Reform UK as a political force, Mr Logan said: “Absolutely. The people that think that Reform is the answer are not cottoning on to the fact that it’s actually just old Tories in disguise, and it’s still the same wealthy people who are stripping the country bare, and people who are being stripped bare still think that Reform is the answer.”

Teacher says racism in schools ‘worst it’s ever been’

12:38 , Sami Quadri

Paige Horsford, 34, a media and English teacher from New Romney, Kent, said she joined the Together march because she has witnessed racist incidents at her school.

She said: “This is my 10th year teaching, and it’s certainly the worst it’s ever been.

“Especially after the Unite the Kingdom rally in September, we had issues in our school surrounding that rally.

“Our kids’ parents had been, and then (pupils) were thinking that they could have free licence to be abusive in classrooms.”

Ms Horsford said pupils had been imitating accents and making “inappropriate” comments.

She said: “The other day, when a teacher who was of foreign descent was giving out warnings, one of the kids went, ‘Oh, is he gonna blow up if we keep on?’

“(There has been) a lot of low-level stuff and when I’m teaching media and we talk about newspapers, kids are saying, ‘it’s all because of the immigrants’, and, no, it isn’t.”

Pictured: Activists take part in Together Alliance march through central London

12:22 , Sami Quadri
(Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
(Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
(Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

Hundreds gather in central London for rally against far right

12:19 , Sami Quadri

Hundreds of people have turned out in support of the Together Alliance’s rally against the far right in central London.

As the march formed up, there were chants of: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, and “choose love”.

Many protestors carried placards, bearing slogans such as: “Migrants make our NHS”, “No to racism, no to Trump”, and “Refugees welcome, stop the far right”.

(Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

Organiser says Tory frontbencher ‘would have been sacked’ for Muslim prayer comments

11:50 , Sami Quadri

Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the Together Alliance, said shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy would have been “sacked” for his comments about Muslim public prayer if he had made them 10 years ago.

Earlier this month, the Conservative MP described Muslim public prayer as an “act of domination and decision”, referring to an Open Iftar event held in Trafalgar Square.

Mr Courtney said: “Nick Timothy, who is a frontbencher for the Conservative Party, criticised the Muslim community, said they were taking over Trafalgar Square when they were having an Iftar event… they were praying as part of that.

“All faiths use Trafalgar Square. The idea that Nick Timothy picks on one particular community, and criticise it, demonises it, I would say… it’s disturbing that those ideas have cut into the mainstream.

“10 years ago, he would have been sacked from the Tory frontbench for saying that. He’s not being sacked now, so we are disturbed by the growth of far-right ideas across the mainstream, as well as in the particular expressions, like Tommy Robinson.”

Organiser says far-right ‘intimidated’ ahead of mass rally

11:14 , Sami Quadri

Speaking ahead of a central London rally against the far-right on Saturday, co-organiser Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of the Together Coalition and co-convenor of Stand Up To Racism, said the UK is seeing an “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right organisations.

She said: “The Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom demonstration back in September 2025 was the biggest far-right mobilisation in British history.

“We believe that the majority of British people stand against the hatred and division and racism that was being encouraged at that demonstration and by these types of organisations, and it’s time to act.”

Asked if she was concerned about potential counter-protests and disorder, Ms Dhalu said: “We’re not worried about anything like that today. We haven’t had any intelligence about anything like that is being planned.

“We’re confident that the size of our mobilisation here today has actually intimidated the far-right, and I think they feel that they are not confident enough to stand against us because they know that we’re going to be out in big numbers.”

Ms Dhalu said protestors have “no reason” not to abide by conditions put in place by the Metropolitan Police, adding that it will be a “peaceful” demonstration.

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