Police said officers were assaulted as they tried to keep apart the Unite the Kingdom rally led by Tommy Robinson and a counter-protest in Whitehall, central London. The Metropolitan Police estimated around 110,000 people attended the Unite the Kingdom event, with about 5,000 at the counter-protest.

Officers formed a line along Whitehall to separate the two crowds. One side carried placards advocating welcoming refugees and opposing the far right, while the other displayed the Union Flag and St George’s Cross. The Unite the Kingdom event featured speeches by Robinson and other speakers, including Lawrence Fox and Katie Hopkins, and a haka performed by members of Destiny Church in New Zealand. The crowd waved flags such as the St George’s Cross, Union Flag, Scottish saltire and Welsh dragon, and some attendees carried wooden crosses bearing the word ‘Christ’ while singing Christian songs.

The counter-protest, named March Against Fascism, chanted phrases including ‘stand up, fight back’ as they marched towards Parliament. The Metropolitan Police said restrictions under the Public Order Act limited where and when protests could take place, with the Unite the Kingdom event due to end at 6pm and the counter-protest at 4pm. More than 1,600 officers were deployed across London, including about 500 from other forces. Five Premier League matches were scheduled to take place on the day.