London protests LIVE: Police make 31 arrests in huge security operation as thousands join Unite the Kingdom and Nakba 78 rallies

Speeches at the Unite the Kingdom protest concluded with You’ll Never Walk Alone being performed to the crowd.

Speakers frequently criticised illegal immigration, with protest organiser Tommy Robison calling for a British version of US immigration agency ICE.

Many of those who addressed the crowds in Westminster also called for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign.

Numerous “unite the West” banners were placed along the march route by protest organisers.

Before today’s marches took place, Munira Wilson, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group of London MPs, told The Standard: “The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but it is not a licence to spread hate.

“We cannot allow these marches to be hijacked by individuals engaging in vile antisemitic or anti-Muslim abuse or inciting violence.”

The Twickenham MP added: “Public safety is paramount and we fully support the police taking the strongest possible action to keep the community safe.”

The Unite the Kingdom rally ended with Tommy Robinson thanking the Metropolitan Police, asking the crowds to “show them some respect” and telling those watching “be safe on your way home”.

The Nakba march has already concluded, according to the Met Police, and protesters have left the area. Meanwhile, the Unite the Kingdom rally is expected to disperse shortly.

The Met wrote on X: “The Nakba protest has concluded and all participants have left the area. The Unite the Kingdom protest is due to conclude imminently.”

The Unite the Kingdom rally drew to a close in Parliament Square this afternoon “without significant incident” according to police, with just 31 arrests made across the day including the separate Nakba march.

Tommy Robinson was joined on stage by speakers such as Laurence Fox and Ant Middleton as he urged attendees to join political parties and referred to the 2029 general election as the “Battle for Britain”.

Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, who claimed to have been banned by Sir Keir Starmer from entering the UK ahead of the Unite the Kingdom rally, appeared on stage via video link.

He said: “He could ban me. He will not cancel you. And believe me, there will be a day I will be back.”

The day was generally considered peaceful by officers who marshalled along the route, with colourful Union Jack costumes and hoards of flag-waving crowds.

A protester dressed up as King Richard the Lionheart turned up at today’s Unite the Kingdom rally, saying Keir Starmer would be “locked up in the tower” if he was king.

The man said: “The government are useless and doing everything possible… he’s a traitor! The bloke [Starmer] is a traitor. He should be locked up in the tower. He would be if I was king.”

Tommy Robinson was seen addressing crowds from the main stage at Parliament Square during today’s Unite the Kingdom rally.

Robinson referred to the next general election in 2029 as the “Battle for Britain”, as he urged attendees to get involved in politics.

He said: ““If we don’t send a message in our next election, if you don’t register to vote, if you don’t get involved, if you don’t become activists, we are going to lose our country forever.”

He added: “We have to get political, we have to get involved. I’m not going to tell you which political party you need to join. We’re a cultural movement. I’m going to tell you that you have to join a political party.

“I don’t care if it’s Reform, if it’s Advance, or it’s Restore, or it’s the Conservative Party. We have to locally get involved in politics.”

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told supporters at the pro-Palestine rally in Pall Mall that Westminster needs a change in “policy” not “personalities”.

The Your Party co-founder, who was greeted by loud cheers from the crowd, said: “Whatever happens to Keir Starmer, I don’t know if he’s going to survive the coup, he should know about coups. I know about coups. I know what goes on.

“But I would say that if there’s to be a change, it’s got to be a change of policy, not the personalities.”

He added: “To those in Reform and the far right that do so much to attack us all and attack our communities, your hatred can succeed in dividing people, but your hatred will not build one council house, will not improve one hospital, will not teach one child, will not end somebody’s homeless life on the streets of London.

“The only thing that can change that is a change of economic, social, and international policy – that’s what brings us together.”

The Met Police confirmed 31 arrests have been made so far across the Unite the Kingdom and Nakba rallies in central London.

Today’s Unite the Kingdom rally has just over an hour left for speeches and music until 5.30pm, when the crowds at Parliament Square will be given half an hour to disperse.

A clean-up operation is already underway, with bags of rubbish lining the parade route containing beer cans, bottles and coffee cups.

The Met Police stated on X: “The rallies for both protests are ongoing. There have so far been 31 arrests across the whole operation. We will provide a more detailed breakdown at the conclusion.

“While this may seem high, to this point both protests have proceeded largely without significant incident.”

Organisers of the pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally claim that “at least a quarter of a million people” attended their protest today, making it “10 times bigger” than the Unite the Kingdom demonstration.

Other estimates claim 50,000 protesters came out for Unite the Kingdom and 30,000 for Nakba, although as yet no conclusive statistics have been provided.