The British capital said police were “assaulted with a projectile” and “assaulted” during a far-right protest in London on Saturday, bringing over 110,000 people onto the city’s streets.
The Kingdom’s protests were organized by far-right political activist Tommy Robinson. Counterproteters also flocked to the British capital.
Metropolitan Police said on social media on Saturday that the reported attacks took place after the kingdom’s march violated a “infertile area” that was enacted to continue the kingdom’s march and separate protesters from rebels.
In a later social media post, the unit said: “Officers must intervene in multiple locations to ensure Kingdom protesters are accessing infertile areas, violating police security guards, and uniting Kingdom protesters who try to reach opposition groups. Many officers have been assaulted.”
The service said 26 officers were injured in the clash and 25 were arrested.
Deputy Director Matt Twist condemned the attack “completely unacceptable” in a statement.
“Our post-event investigation has already begun. We are identifying people involved in the disability and can hope to face robust police action in the coming days and weeks,” Twist said.
London mayor Sadiq Khan also said “violence and attack police officers are completely unacceptable.”
The British and British flag-waving demonstrators — the Union flag and St. George’s cross, respectively — marched into Whitehall, London’s district, where the prime minister and government department live.
It happens all over the country after summer anti-immigration protests, but some of it has become violent. The British and English flags, along with protests, have become common in cities and towns across the country.
One video posted shows protesters holding a photo of American political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead on Wednesday. The crowd can be heard chanting Kirk’s name.
“The UK has finally woken up. We’ve been waiting for decades,” Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, said in one video. “Patriotism is the future, borders are the future, and we want free speech,” he said.
Robinson, the founder of the now-repeated Anti-Immigrant English Defense League (EDL), was released from prison earlier this year and was jailed for emptiing the court for repeated false accusations of Syrian refugees.
Major city police commander Claire Haynes acknowledged that many Muslim Londoners may have “particular concern” about the kingdom’s march ahead of Saturday’s protest.
“There have been some suggestions that Muslim Londoners should change their behavior, including not entering town this Saturday. That’s not our advice. Everyone should feel like they can travel to and around London,” she said in a statement released by police on Friday.
Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered for opposing candidates. Politicians, including leftists John McDonnell and Diane Abbott, gave speeches. Protesters chanted phrases such as “no justice, peace, no fascists on our streets” and “what this looks like a community.”
“All people of political persuasion, class, race, gender and ability are united to show that Tommy Robinson (aka Yaxley Lennon) fulfilled rhetoric does not represent true British values,” Journalist Sangita Maiska, who attended the Rebel, said in a social media post.
