Half a million people march in London for biggest anti-far right demonstration
Organizers claimed half a million people were estimated to have gathered in London for the “largest ever demonstration against the far right”.
Protesters marched to Whitehall in the capital on Saturday and carried signs reading “No racism, no Trump” and “Refugees welcome” through streets lined with police officers.
Kevin Courtney, co-organiser of the rally and chairman of the coalition, told the crowd gathered in Whitehall: “Our estimate is that there are half a million people at this demonstration now – it is the largest ever demonstration against the far right.
“And that gives us all the confidence to keep going. Thank you very much.”
Organizers said they were, according to their estimates, outnumbered at the Unite the Kingdom rally led by Tommy Robinson in London last September.
Between 110,000 and 150,000 people attended the far-right demonstration organized by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, while around 5,000 people attended the anti-racist counter-demonstration.
There was much violent disorder at the demonstration, resulting in injuries to some police officers. Sir Keir Starmer condemned the rally at the time and said it made people “more frightened than before”.
The Together Alliance rally was attended by a number of politicians, including your party’s MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, as well as Green Party leader Zack Polanski and MP Hannah Spencer. Speakers included former Labor MP Diane Abbott, who now sits in Parliament as an independent.
He told the cheering crowd: “Today’s turnout is the largest anti-racism march I have ever seen in my life and you should all be proud of yourselves for turning out in such large numbers today.”
Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of the Together Alliance and co-convener of Stand Up to Racism, said Britain had seen “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right organizations but believed the size of Saturday’s turnout had distracted the “far right” from the counter-protest.
“The Unite the Kingdom demonstration led by Tommy Robinson in September 2025 was the largest far-right mobilization in British history,” he said.
“We believe that the majority of British people stand against the hatred, divisiveness and racism promoted at that demonstration and by such organisations, and that it is time to take action.”
As Saturday’s rally began, there were shouts from about 10 counter-protesters. One member of the group was carrying an Israeli flag.
Before the groups formed for the rally in Whitehall, a separate march organized by the Palestine Coalition also took place and joined the route of the Together Alliance.
By the end of the demonstrations, the Metropolitan Police arrested 25 people, including two for climbing National Gallery columns and 18 Palestine Action supporters. A group of people held a protest outside New Scotland Yard in support of the banned group.
This comes just days after the Met announced it would continue to arrest protesters holding banners supporting the banned group.
Officers imposed public order conditions banning the joint rally from continuing after 5pm.
Met Police Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell said this “will be a busy weekend for our officers but we have detailed plans to ensure that any groups protesting this weekend can do so legally and without causing serious disruption to other Londoners, businesses or visitors.”
The Metropolitan Police said that alongside the mass demonstration, a number of protests against the Iranian regime – both static meetings and marches – took place in the Westminster area on both Saturday and Sunday.
