Over 100,000 People In The UK Held A Huge Anti-Immigration Protest, Raising Fears Of The Far-Right’s Rise
The “Unite the Kingdom” march on Saturday, Sept. 13 was led by Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the now disbanded far-right, anti-Islam group, the English Defence League (EDL).
More than 100,000 people have marched through London in what police say was the UK’s largest anti-immigration protest in decades.
The “Unite the Kingdom” march on Saturday, Sept. 13 was led by Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the now disbanded far-right, anti-Islam group, the English Defence League (EDL).
Founded in 2009, the EDL rejects the idea that ethnic minorities can be English, with Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, claiming that Islam is a threat to English values.
In recent years, there has been a surge in extremist nationalist and anti-immigration sentiment in the UK.
The sentiments have been amplified by social media, misinformation campaigns and recent incidents that stoked fears around immigration and crime.
These included the far-right riots that spread through the UK after three girls were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in a stabbing attack wrongly attributed to a Muslim migrant.
Since mid-2025, protests against immigration have intensified in multiple location across the UK, organized by far-right, fascist, neo-Nazi and white nationalist hate groups like Britain First, Patriotic Alternative and Homeland Party.
The protest on Sept. 13 also coincided with far-right parties, such as Reform UK led by Nigel Farage, gaining political traction in polls.
Police said that about 110,000 people filled the streets around parliament, waving nationalist symbols such as Union Jacks and St. George’s crosses.
Elon Musk appeared by video link during the rally, criticizing the UK’s immigration policies and warning that “violence is coming.”
Police said 26 officers were injured and at least 25 people were arrested for violent disorder.
Meanwhile, around 5,000 people attended a counter-protest organized by Stand Up to Racism.
Rights groups said the size of the rally showed an escalation of extremist influence, noting how local grievances and anger over asylum accommodation and immigration issues was amplified into a national march with over 100,000 people.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer said people had a right to peaceful protest but denounced the attack on police and reaffirmed that the UK “was built on diversity and tolerance.”
He added that the UK will “never surrender” its flag to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.
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Flavie Chen
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