Thousands gather in support of Tommy Robinson and for counter-demonstration

Thousands of protesters have gathered in central London with a march in support of Tommy Robinson and a separate counter-demonstration.

A protest organised under the name “Stop the Isolation” or “Unite the Kingdom”, in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, met outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

Chants of “We want our country back” and “We want Tommy out” were sung as the demonstration set off, with protesters carrying flags bearing slogans including “Free Tommy Robinson” and “Stop the Boats”.

Some demonstrators were wearing “MEGA – Make England Great Again” hats and “I am Tommy” stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones.

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A counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism has set off from St James’s Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, on their march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

The counter-demonstration has been billed by organisers as “marching together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we won’t let the far right divide us”.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted, and officers will be deployed to keep the groups apart, the Metropolitan police said.

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “We will proceed to Downing Street.

“Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

“Deliver our message to the establishment.”

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: “We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summer’s racist riots.

“We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.”

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said the force was “well prepared” for both protests and had been in discussion with organisers.

She said: “We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

“Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.”