An estimated half a million people gathered in London for “the biggest demonstration ever against the far right”, organisers said.
Protesters carrying placards saying “No to racism, no to Trump”, and “Refugees welcome” marched through the capital to Whitehall amid a heavy police presence, with officers lining the streets.
Organisers said their estimates showed they had successfully outnumbered the Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom rally in London in September.
That demonstration – organised by right-wing activist Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – was attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people, while about 5,000 were involved in an anti-racism counter-demonstration.
There were several incidents of violent disorder which left some police officers injured on that occasion, and the event was condemned at the time by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said it had left people feeling “more scared than they were before”.
On Saturday, organisers said people had gathered for a “peaceful” demonstration against “hatred and division and racism”.
Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the coalition, told crowds gathered on Whitehall: “Our estimate is now that there are half a million people on this demonstration – the biggest demonstration ever against the far right.
“And it gives us all confidence to carry on. Thank you very much.”
Scroll down for the latest updates.
Live updates
Met Police make arrests as counter protesters appear
Half a million turn out for protest
An estimated half a million people have gathered in London for the Together Alliance march against the far right, organisers said.
Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the coalition, told crowds gathered on Whitehall: “Our estimate is now that there are half a million people on this demonstration – the biggest demonstration ever against the far right.
“And it gives us all confidence to carry on. Thank you very much.”
Two arrested 'for trying to climb pillars at Trafalgar Square'
Two activists have been arrested after allegedly trying climb pillars outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
The Met Police posted on X: “Officers are on the scene at The National Gallery, where two protesters are attempting to climb the pillars facing Trafalgar Square. Specialist officers are being called in to safely remove them so they can be arrested.
“Both protesters came down without assistance. They’ve been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance.”
A group of Iranian dissidents have come out to counter today’s Together Alliance protest, signifying their opposition to Iran’s military regime
Iranians come out to counter Together Alliance protest
A group of Iranian dissidents have come out to counter today’s Together Alliance protest, siginifying their opposition to Iran’s military regime
Organisers say far-right ‘intimidated’ as thousands rally
Organisers of a mass demonstration in central London said they believe the size of the turnout has “intimidated the far right” away from staging a counter-protest.
Huge crowds gathered in the capital for the Together Alliance event, billed as a stand against the “politics of division”, with a march, speeches on Whitehall and a music event in Trafalgar Square.
Co-organiser Sabby Dhalu said the UK is seeing an “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right groups, pointing to last year’s Unite the Kingdom rally led by Tommy Robinson.
She said: “The Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom demonstration back in September 2025 was the biggest far-right mobilisation in British history.
“We believe that the majority of British people stand against the hatred and division and racism that was being encouraged at that demonstration and by these types of organisations, and it’s time to act.”
Addressing concerns about possible disorder, Ms Dhalu added: “We’re not worried about anything like that today. We haven’t had any intelligence about anything like that is being planned.
“We’re confident that the size of our mobilisation here today has actually intimidated the far-right, and I think they feel that they are not confident enough to stand against us because they know that we’re going to be out in big numbers.”
Huge police presence as Together Alliance's march prepares to set off towards Whitehall
There is a heavy police presence on Park Lane and Piccadilly in central London as the Together Alliance’s anti-racism march prepares to set off towards Whitehall.
Police are lining the streets in preparation for the march, while stewards helping to organise the rally hand out maps of the route and marshal the protesters.
Demonstrator warns of ‘very dangerous times’ amid far-right fears
Crawford Logan, 76, from Stirling, Scotland, said he wanted to support both the protest against the far right, and the pro-Palestine march also taking place on Saturday.
He said: “There is a kind of dual purpose to this: there’s this march about the far right, but there’s also the Stop the War coalition as well, so you’ve got two major events on, and they are in parallel I think with the No Kings protests that are going on in the States today.
“And of course, it’s just very dangerous times.”
Asked whether he is worried about the rise of Reform UK as a political force, Mr Logan said: “Absolutely. The people that think that Reform is the answer are not cottoning on to the fact that it’s actually just old Tories in disguise, and it’s still the same wealthy people who are stripping the country bare, and people who are being stripped bare still think that Reform is the answer.”
Teacher says racism in schools ‘worst it’s ever been’
Paige Horsford, 34, a media and English teacher from New Romney, Kent, said she joined the Together march because she has witnessed racist incidents at her school.
She said: “This is my 10th year teaching, and it’s certainly the worst it’s ever been.
“Especially after the Unite the Kingdom rally in September, we had issues in our school surrounding that rally.
“Our kids’ parents had been, and then (pupils) were thinking that they could have free licence to be abusive in classrooms.”
Ms Horsford said pupils had been imitating accents and making “inappropriate” comments.
She said: “The other day, when a teacher who was of foreign descent was giving out warnings, one of the kids went, ‘Oh, is he gonna blow up if we keep on?’
“(There has been) a lot of low-level stuff and when I’m teaching media and we talk about newspapers, kids are saying, ‘it’s all because of the immigrants’, and, no, it isn’t.”
Pictured: Activists take part in Together Alliance march through central London
