Protest against Islam on the streets of London, tens of thousands of people joined Tommy Robinson's march

International News:  Thousands of people took to the streets in the British capital London on Saturday, where anti-immigration marches and counter-demonstrations heated up the atmosphere of the city. Organised by immigration and anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, the march saw protesters carrying flags of England and Britain. On the other hand, the "Stand Up to Racism" group organised a counter-demonstration in response, which further fuelled a heated debate on immigration and freedom of expression in Britain.

Tens of thousands of people attended the protest

By midday, tens of thousands of protesters had gathered in the streets along the south bank of the River Thames and marched towards Westminster, where Britain's parliament is located. Protesters waved Britain's Union Jack and England's red-and-white St George's Cross flag.

Some carried the flags of the United States and Israel, while many protesters wore US President Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) hats. The crowd chanted slogans against Prime Minister Keir Starmer and some carried placards with slogans such as "Send them back". Many protesters also brought their children along.

The Calling of Tommy Robinson

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, described the 'Unite the Kingdom' march as a celebration of freedom of expression. The march also commemorates the recent murder of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead on Wednesday.

"We must unite and take to the streets to fight for our freedom," Robinson wrote on the social media platform X. Robinson describes himself as a journalist who exposes government wrongdoings and his supporters include American billionaire Elon Musk. However, Britain's largest anti-immigration party, Reform UK, has distanced itself from Robinson, who has several criminal cases registered against him.

Voice of supporters

Sandra Mitchell, a protestor, said, "We want our country back, we want our freedom of expression back." She further said, "Illegal immigration needs to be stopped. We believe in Tommy." Protesters believe that immigration has affected the social and economic structure of Britain.

Strict police surveillance

London's Metropolitan Police deployed more than 1,600 police to control the protests, including 500 called in from other forces. Commander Claire Haynes, who was leading the operation, said, "We will monitor the protests without fear or favour, so that people can exercise their legal rights, but any crime or incident will be dealt with strictly." The police assured communities that they did not need to stay indoors, noting incidents of anti-minority rhetoric and offensive slogans in earlier protests.

Immigration: Britain's burning issue

Immigration has become the most prominent political issue in Britain, overtaking concerns about the economy. So far this year, more than 28,000 migrants have reached Britain by crossing the Channel in small boats. Red and white English flags have been painted on streets and roads, which supporters see as a symbol of national pride, while anti-racism activists see it as a message of xenophobia. Last Saturday, about 900 people were arrested in a protest against a ban on the Palestine Action group.