LONDON — Two major rival demonstrations took place in close proximity in central London, as pro-Palestine marchers commemorated the 78th anniversary of the Nakba while a separate Unite the Kingdom rally organised by Tommy Robinson called for tighter controls on migration and political change.
The pro-Palestine march, which also incorporated an anti-racism element, marked the expulsion of around 750,000 Palestinians from their homes at the foundation of Israel in 1948. Organisers described it as a peaceful event espousing the Palestinian cause. Participants included families and a multi-ethnic, multi-age crowd, with many Jewish attendees present who expressed support for peace and respect for Palestinian people. Speakers and marchers emphasised that criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic and rejected claims of an anti-Semitic undercurrent to the event.
One arrest was made during the pro-Palestine gathering when a young man was detained for refusing to remove a face mask, despite police powers requiring the removal of face coverings. The march started about 50 minutes late on Exhibition Road in South Kensington and proceeded through central London to Waterloo Place, taking roughly two and a half hours. It was described as well-organised and entirely peaceful, with stewards at the front and participants asked to disperse quickly in groups at the end using designated Tube stations to avoid mixing with the other rally.
Nearby, the Unite the Kingdom rally organised by Tommy Robinson attracted thousands — organisers and observers estimated tens of thousands — gathering with a sea of British, English, and UK flags, along with some Israeli flags and pre-Iranian revolution Iranian flags. Attendees chanted anti-Keir Starmer slogans and expressed strong concerns over uncontrolled immigration, including references to crime and a lack of government action under the Labour government. Many participants voiced worries about the future for their families and grandchildren, while insisting the event was not racist or far-right.
New policing measures held rally organisers responsible for any extremist speech or hate speech from the stage. Police maintained separation between the two events, with some counter-protesters present near the Unite the Kingdom march. A small number of arrests occurred overall relative to the crowd size.
Speeches took place at Parliament Square, where large screens were set up for those further back along Whitehall. Attendees at the Unite the Kingdom event presented a range of views, not a uniform bloc: widespread anti-government sentiment, focus on both illegal and legal migration, and repeated insistence that they were “not far right.” It was stressed that the core message was about protecting the country and changing its direction.
Both rallies have become recurring large-scale features of British politics, drawing significant numbers repeatedly and operating outside traditional power structures. Organisers of the pro-Palestine march highlighted its peaceful, diverse, and solidarity-focused nature, with Muslims, Jews, and Christians participating together.