City of Westminster (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Nine people were arrested after violent clashes at a Tommy Robinson protest in Westminster, where police officers were attacked. More arrests are expected.
As violence erupted during the demonstration, which included a guest appearance by Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and X, the force reported that nine arrests had been made and that many more were anticipated.
Police reported that 110,000 people attended the “Unite the Kingdom” gathering in Whitehall, City of Westminster, which was met with counter-protests by about 5,000 anti-racism activists.
An interview between Robinson and Musk, who echoed the day’s dominant theme by declaring the “destruction of Britain” due to “massive uncontrolled migration,” was part of a stage set up to hear a succession of speeches by far-right politicians and individuals.
However, the Robinson throng was too large to fit inside Whitehall, according to the police, and a fight broke out as they attempted to disperse the counter-protesters.
A spokesman said:
“When officers moved in to stop them, they faced unacceptable violence. They were assaulted with kicks and punches. Bottles, flares and other projectiles were thrown.
Nine arrests have been made so far for various offences, but many more people have been identified as committing offences. We will find them and they will face police action, even if it is not possible to do so today.
Officers are continuing to face aggression in multiple locations, in particular at the north of Whitehall as they work to create a safe exit route for those who have been taking part in the Stand Up To Racism protest.”
As thousands of demonstrators from both sides gazed down on Whitehall, Robinson protesters threw projectiles at the counter-demonstrators.
At one point, a glass bottle seemed to crash into a police horse, sending the horse and rider reeling backwards as the line of horses faced the sea of Union flags.
To allow counter-protesters to safely depart, police used batons to try to push back thousands of Robinson supporters who had assembled on the top of Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. This resulted in scuffles.
Later, Robinson’s supporters, who were by this time mostly scattered, were forced to retreat farther from Trafalgar Square and toward Embankment station by more than a hundred policemen wearing helmets and dozens of mounted police.
In addition to Musk, Robinson and other activists, such as former Apprentice contender Katie Hopkins and actor Laurence Fox, gave speeches at the “Unite” demonstration, which also included musical acts.
It also included television personality Ant Middleton, who is running for mayor of London; Petr Bystron of the far-right Alternative for Germany party; Polish right-wing politician Dominik Tarczynski; Belgian anti-immigration activist Filip Dewinter; far-right French politician Eric Zemmour, who finished fourth in the first round of the 2022 French presidential election; and Morten Messerschmidt, leader of the Danish People’s Party.
The Stand Up To Racism counter-protest was scheduled to end at 4 p.m., but the “Unite the Kingdom” event exceeded the 6 p.m. police-imposed deadline under the Public Order Act.
There will also be five Premier League football games on Saturday, including Brentford vs. Chelsea and West Ham vs. Tottenham derbies.
According to the Metropolitan Police, a total of 1,600 officers will be stationed around the city, 500 of whom will be recruited from outside agencies.
How are London authorities planning to prosecute identified offenders?
Following potential arrests and identification through CCTV and video, the police can complete a detailed case file including witness statements, digital evidence, and forensic material.
The CPS employs a two-part legal test before it pursues a prosecution. This involves checking whether the evidence is sufficient to bring a realistic chance of conviction, and it is in the public interest to proceed with prosecution.
Charges will be tailored and based on the nature and seriousness of the offences including assaults on police, public order offences, possession of offensive weapons, etc.
Suspects will be formally charged and will attend their initial court hearings where they will officially enter their pleas.