Raf-right Tommy Robinson supporters were filmed chanting anti-Muslim slogans at a protest where police were on high alert by the presence of marchers involved with previous disorder.
Marchers chanted “who the f*** is Allah” and other hateful slogans at the protest in central London.
The Metropolitan Police said it had spotted attendees “previously well known for involvement in anti-lockdown protests during the pandemic and associated disorder.”
Groups from across the UK linked to football disorder were seen at the event, the Metropolitan Police said.
The protest set off from the Victoria station area at about 1pm, heading to Parliament Square, where speeches will take place and a film will be shown.
Laurence Fox was pictured alongside Tommy Robinson at the front of the protest as the throngs behind them chanted “we want our country back”. The banner they marched behind read ‘This is London, not Londonistan’.
Robinson took to the stage where he was applauded and cheered by supporters as Laurence Fox smoked a rolled-up cigarette behind him.
He said: “This is what London should look like. First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. Why does it feel like I’m winning?” as he thanked the thousands who turned out. “We’re not going to be silenced any longer.”
After a singer finished a rendition of Emeli Sandé’s Read All About It, Robinson told the crowd chanting his name: “Wow that’s beautiful mate. The lyrics to that song were ‘We’re not afraid, ok? We’re no longer afraid’.”
Towards the end of his documentary about what claims is a two-tier policing system in the UK, the crowd had started to dissipate, according to observers.
Robinson finished the 4-hour event by thanking the Met Police for “staying out of our way” and holding up some Fiat car keys found on the floor in the crowd of supporters.
It came as nine Pro-Palestinian activists from Youth Demand, holding a static counter-protest nearby, were arrested for leaving the pavement.
A Scotland Yard spokesperson posted on X: “Nine Youth Demand protesters were arrested for breaching Public Order Act conditions not to leave the pavement.
“The remainder of the group has largely dispersed but officers continue to monitor those still in the area.”
Earlier, nationalists gathered at Parliament Square to view Tommy Robinson’s film ‘Lawfare’ a documentary about what he sees as a two-tier policing system.
Robinson mistakenly claimed that more than 700,000 people were watching events live but X displays the total view counts - which can be as little as 2 seconds - rather than the number of people watching simultaneously.
Hard rock songs were played to entertain the crowds with lyrics like “I want my country back/ Our culture we must save/ Where Harmony Once Stood/ Before the Migrant Wave”.
In a speech to a sea of Union Jacks, far-right YouTuber Carl Benjamin addressed the controversy of interviewing Liz Truss last week.
He said: “We are guilty of interviewing the former Prime Minister, that was my crime.
“That’s why I’m in trouble. But I stand today as a husband, a father, an Englishman. And I can see today that we are still alive. But by god, we wouldn’t know it if we looked at the TV would you? Where is your representation?”
He finished: “We have real problems none of the mainstream parties are going to solve these problems. We have to do it ourselves and we will.”
The Met Police said of the screening: “Officers have identified individuals within the crowd who have a history of being involved in violent disorder.
“A number have football banning orders and are associated with hooligan groups from London and across the UK. There is also an element of the crowd previously well known for involvement in anti-lockdown protests during the pandemic and associated disorder.
“While there have not been any offences so far, a number of people in the crowd are intoxicated. The event still has a number of hours left to go.”
Nick Lowles, CEO at HOPE not hate, said ahead of the protest: “Today’s demonstration is set to be the biggest gathering of far-right activists, football hooligans and Tommy Robinson supporters in years.
“There is a strong likelihood of violence as we have unearthed shocking messages from hooligan chat groups where people are threatening to attack people of colour, pro-Palestine demonstrators and even the police.”
More than 2,000 police officers are policing the protests as well as the Champions League Final at Wembley, the force said.
Commander Louise Puddefoot said: “Officers have been in discussion with the organisers of both protests in recent weeks. Our priority is to ensure those exercising their right to lawful protest, both in the main march and as part of the counter protest, can do so safely.
“Officers will police these demonstrations, as they always do, without fear or favour – keeping participants and the wider public safe, and responding decisively to criminal offences and any attempt to cause serious disruption.
“While we are grateful to the main organiser of the protest for comments he has made publicly discouraging violence on Saturday, we do have concerns about the number of those believed to be attending who have links to football disorder.
“When these groups have come together at previous protests we have regrettably seen violence directed at officers. This precedent unavoidably plays a part in shaping the policing approach, including the number and nature of resources allocated to police this particular protest.
“We also understand why the concern goes beyond the potential for officers to be targeted. For some in London, in particular our Muslim communities, comments made by those associated with this event will also cause fear and uncertainty.
“All Londoners have a right to feel and be safe in their city, and we will take a zero tolerance approach to any racially or religiously motivated hate crime we become aware of.”
