London police braced for a major far-right rally on Saturday as activist Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) mobilized thousands of supporters. Last September, he gathered up to 150,000 people in central London for a similar event.

Robinson, a former football hooligan turned anti-Islam campaigner, has seen his profile rise sharply in the UK. He has convictions for assault, stalking, and other offenses. He urged supporters to act peacefully, calling the event 'the greatest patriotic display the world has ever seen'.

The Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers, along with horses, dogs, drones, and helicopters. The force faces a stretched operation as it simultaneously manages the far-right march, a pro-Palestinian counter-protest, and the FA Cup final.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Robinson's 'Unite the Kingdom' march on Friday, accusing it of 'peddling hate and division, plain and simple.' Robinson has tapped into public anger over immigration, with tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel annually in small boats.

Speaking at the march, Robinson called for political engagement: 'Are you ready for the battle of Britain? 2029 we have an election. If you don’t register to vote, if you don’t get involved, we are going to lose our country forever.' He has also traveled to the US to warn about 'the dangers of Islam' and 'the Islamification of Great Britain'.

Census data shows that only 6.5% of people in England and Wales identified as Muslim in 2021, up from 4.9% in 2011. For the first time, organizers and speakers at the rally face prosecution under official protest restrictions if they break laws on extremism or hate speech.

Source: www.dw.com