More than 4,000 police officers have been deployed to London as crowds began to gather for two competing protests in London.
Police will use drones, police horses and dogs, and have armored vehicles on standby. They will also manage the so-called “sterile zone” between the UK march, organized by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, and the pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The Metropolitan Police described it as one of the most significant policing operations in years.
As well as the protests, tens of thousands of fans are expected to gather at Wembley Stadium for Saturday afternoon’s FA Cup final.
James Harman, deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said the police operation would cost the police £4.5 million.
The Met said the risks posed by the protests meant it had to implement the “highest degree of controls”, including using live facial recognition cameras for the first time as part of protest policing operations.
Real-time facial recognition technology will be used at Euston train station and King’s Cross St Pancras train station, where people taking part in the United Kingdom march may arrive.
Drones will be used to monitor both protest routes, and officers at Wembley will also monitor CCTV broadcasts of the FA Cup final to identify supporters heading to the demonstration.
Eleven foreign “far-right agitators” have been banned from entering the country to attend United Kingdom events, the government said on Friday.
Among the 11 people banned from entering the UK is US-based anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez, who took part in the first UK march last September.
Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement on Friday: “We are in a battle for the soul of this country and this weekend’s UK marches are a stark reminder of what exactly we are facing.
“Its organizers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will stop those who seek to incite hatred and violence from entering the UK.
“For anyone who attempts to cause havoc, intimidate or threaten anyone on our streets, you will face the full force of the law.”
In a post on Saturday morning, he added: “Today, the voices of division will be loud. They do not represent the country I know, a country that belongs to us all.
“This is our Britain. A Britain worth fighting for.”
Ahead of the march, Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – wrote in a post on X: “Today we unite the Kingdom and the West in the greatest show of patriotism the world has ever seen.
“The establishment showed its cards early and obviously does not want the people to unite. Be tough! Things are happening!”
There are strict controls on where the parade takes place and when it ends.
Protesters taking part in the “Unite the Kingdom” march will gather in Kingsway before heading to Whitehall and holding a rally in Parliament Square.
[EPA/Shutterstock]
An independent pro-Palestinian march to mark Nakba Day begins in Kensington before heading to Waterloo Circus via Piccadilly.
One of the organizers of the pro-Palestinian march, John Rees from Stop the War, said such marches take place on the same day every year and questioned why the United Kingdom march was allowed to take place on May 16.
He told Radio 4’s Today program the police response should be “unacceptable”.
The Met has previously said it had held discussions with the United Kingdom over its application for the National Day parade.
Meanwhile, new guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) urges prosecutors to consider whether protest placards, banners and slogans seen on social media may amount to incitement to hate offences.
Professional officers are also prepared to make quick decisions to arrest and charge hate speech offences, which could include arrests for shouting “intifada” slogans at pro-Palestinian marches.
Home Minister Shabana Mahmood said the right to protest was “a cornerstone of our democracy”.
She added: “But anyone who spreads hatred or commits acts of violence will face the full force of the law.”
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Parkinson said: “This is not about restricting free speech. It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.”
“Where criminal conduct has been committed, we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, told the BBC that organizers of public events should screen contributors to judge the level of risk they pose.
He said: “Police have a difficult job dealing with protests and organizers of demonstrations should ensure they stand up in front of thousands of people and those providing microphones have a responsibility to ensure their speakers comply with the law.”
Nick Aldworth, the former Metropolitan Police chief and national counter-terrorism co-ordinator, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Saturday that “the police will be looking to enforce it… I think it might be difficult to prove that in court later” when it came to the spokesman’s spontaneous response.
