LONDON, Sept 13 (KUNA) -- Dozens of thousands of right-wing and anti-migrant protesters gathered for a mass rally in London on Saturday under the slogan of "Uniting the Kingdom" in response to far-right campaigners They marched from Waterloo Bridge over the River Thames to Whitehall St. - the heart of the UK government and home to many ministries in Westminster neighborhood in central London.
The protesters raised anti-migrant slogans and denounced "the restrictions on the freedom of expression." Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist and one of the organizers of the protests, said, "Today London stands tall in defence of one of our most vital rights - free speech." "Over a million have gathered to make their voices heard, and if you can't be here in person, you don't have to miss out," he wrote on his X account.
The Metropolitan Police estimated the number of protesters at 110,000, noting that no serious security breaches were recorded. Some officers had been "attacked with projectiles" and had had to use force to avoid a cordon being breached, BBC reported, citing a Met statement.
In anticipation of counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners, the Met deployed nearly 1,600 security personnel yesterday to protect the vital government facilities in the area.
Nearly 5,000 people have joined a nearby protest, organised by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) under the slogan of "March against Fascism." (end) mrn.gb