London: Protesters clash with police during anti-immigration rally, 25 arrested

Twenty-five persons were arrested after protesters at a far-right rally mainly against immigration clashed with the police in central London on Saturday.

Twenty-six police officers were injured, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Up to 1.5 lakh persons participated in the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, one of the largest far-right protests in Britain, AFP reported. The event organised by anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson amplified racist conspiracy theories and hate speech against Muslims, The Guardian reported.

Bloody hell. The size of this crowd
at the #UniteTheKingdom protest in London today.pic.twitter.com/PCzB1WMwKy— James Melville ? (@JamesMelville) September 13, 2025

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said that while several protesters had come “to exercise their lawful right to protest”, there were “many who came intent on violence”.

The clashes broke out after some protesters tried to enter “sterile areas” near counter-protesters, according to the news agency. About 5,000 counter-protesters belonging to trade unions and anti-fascist groups held a march along a separate route in central London, according to The Guardian.

Some protesters confronted the police officers, “engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe”, the statement added.

Officers are having to intervene in multiple locations to stop Unite the Kingdom protesters trying to access sterile areas, breach police cordons or get...

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