Police gear up for large, rival London protests

LONDON (Reuters) – Right-wing, anti-immigrant protesters and opposing anti-racism demonstrators are both planning large rallies in London on Saturday, closely watched by a beefed up police operation aimed at heading off any clashes between the rival gatherings.

A “Unite the Kingdom” march organised by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, is due to meet at London’s Victoria train station before marching towards parliament.

Meanwhile a counterprotest of anti-racism campaigners and trade unionists will gather at the other end of Whitehall, the main thoroughfare towards parliament from the opposite direction where many government departments are located.

“We are well prepared for what is set to be a busy day in the centre of London,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, who is leading a policing operation that will involve drafting in officers from around the country.

“We will have significant resources in place to respond to any incidents, to deal decisively with any offences, and to keep disruption to other members of the public and businesses to a minimum,” she said on Friday.Britain saw days of rioting in towns and cities across the country at the end of July in the wake of the murder of three young girls at a dance workshop in Southport, after misinformation on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as a Muslim migrant.

The unrest, which targeted hotels housing asylum seekers and mosques, ended after a clampdown by the authorities that included more than 1,500 arrests and about 1,000 people charged.

The right-wing protesters describe themselves as “patriots”, who say Britain is under threat from migrants and Islamification. Their critics, including most lawmakers, say their number includes racists, far-right supporters and soccer hooligans bent on violence.

“Tomorrow we’re back, and won’t be ignored or silenced,” Yaxley-Lennon said on X on Friday.

However, according to his social media account, he will not be at the march in person as he is being held in police custody over the weekend ahead of a contempt of court case that is due to be heard on Monday.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Frances Kerry)