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Unite the Kingdom and Pro Palestine marches Cup 16th May 2026

(546 Posts)
GrannyGravy13 Fri 15-May-26 08:10:46

Just seen in the news that the Met re deploying 4,000 extra police officers in London tomorrow, including armoured vehicles on standby.

If they are that concerned why haven’t they taken action to stop these marches or made them into standing rally’s in contained areas?

Our beautiful capital city once more rendered a no go zone.

Added into the mix it’s also the F A Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

All in the week when London has been named the number one city in the world for culture šŸ¤¦ā€ā™€ļø

Casdon Sun 17-May-26 10:17:57

I think you mean you will disregard what they say Oreo, Jeremy Corbyn does still retain quite a fan base in the UK. Not me by the way, but they are quite definitely out there.

twaddle Sun 17-May-26 10:11:38

Primrose53

keepingquiet

keepingquiet

I haven't seen the news- was there actually any trouble?

I still haven't heard that there was any trouble?

People who attended the demo say the MSM massively underestimated the number of people attending.

The Met Police say 150,000 marched for Unite the Kingdom and 5,000 for the counter protest. They also said the march passed ā€œlargely without significant incidentā€. They say there were 31 arrests. Pretty good result then. I am sure if there was any major stuff like violence it would have made headline news.

As a matter of interest, how would those attending know? I doubt very much that they were in any position to count how many people were there.

AGAA4 Sun 17-May-26 10:05:28

Well done to the police for keeping what could have been a very volatile situation relatively calm.
Also some of the most troublesome agitators were banned from entering the country. Elon Musk was absent this time thankfully.
Hopefully such a large police presence won't be necessary again as police from other forces were drafted in so leaving their own areas short. Apart from the huge cost.

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 10:03:30

Diane Abbot ….does anyone take her seriously? Or Corbyn for that matter, I think we can comfortably disregard anything they say about antisemitism in any case.

Kandinsky Sun 17-May-26 10:01:32

With the huge numbers attending marches in London yesterday it’s marvellous that there were so few arrests

Agree.
I wish I’d gone now.

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 10:00:49

31 arrests is a tiny figure given the numbers in both marches.
The Unite march far outnumbered the pro Palestine march, and no doubt figures will be released soon.

Chestnut Sun 17-May-26 10:00:04

The government have made it very clear which side they're on, David Lammy said "Unite the Kingdom are spreading hated and division".

Then Diane Abbott does exactly that! She said about UTK "They are viciously right-wing, viciously racist, they are anti-black, anti-Muslim, and viciously antisemitic."

What a vile and horrible thing to say. If that's not spreading hatred and division I don't know what is. The far left has no place on the moral high ground when they use words like that. Such nasty people.

MaizieD Sun 17-May-26 09:49:58

The Met Police say 150,000 marched for Unite the Kingdom and 5,000 for the counter protest. They also said the march passed ā€œlargely without significant incidentā€.

What 'counter protest ' was that, Primrose?

Where did you get your numbers from?

This was the best that AI could do for me:

The latest figures I can find from the Metropolitan Police and live reporting are:

Around 80,000 people combined across the two demonstrations in central London.
The Met’s latest working estimate for the Unite the Kingdom march turnout was about 60,000.
The Nakba Day pro‑Palestinian march had previously been estimated by police at roughly 30,000, though organisers claimed as many as 250,000 attended.

Arrest numbers appear to have risen through the evening: earlier police updates said 31 arrests
later updates from multiple outlets reported 43 arrests across the protests.

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 09:48:43

With the huge numbers attending marches in London yesterday it’s marvellous that there were so few arrests.😃

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 09:47:12

Only laughable if the only reason you bother to comment is to hope for trouble on a thread sixandahalf

sixandahalf Sun 17-May-26 09:44:39

Oreo

That sounds like a s**t stirring comment to me sixandahalf
Actually numbers do matter as in it shows strength of feeling about a matter.

Laughable really.

Kandinsky Sun 17-May-26 09:42:40

I’m all for anyone marching to show their pride in being British. Well done them šŸ‘

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 09:42:01

Allira

Wyllow3

I thought the BBC report was very even handed and it was very interesting but so so awful as in a divided UK to read it all. I feel sorrowful it's come to this.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3d2ryyz0jzo

I really, really find the take over of our national flags by the far right horrendous.

It's like -the flags have ceased to be for us all, and how do we ever go back to when they were.

I really, really find the take over of our national flags by the far right horrendous.

I agree, it is horrendous. But we should not let these right-wing racists take over. The flags are not theirs.

how do we ever go back to when they were.
It is up to us. No shying away because of what some people think they represent, we need to reclaim the flags and urge our politicians, local and national, to help us do that.

Absolutely Allira šŸ‘šŸ»šŸ‘šŸ»šŸ‘šŸ»

Oreo Sun 17-May-26 09:40:46

That sounds like a s**t stirring comment to me sixandahalf
Actually numbers do matter as in it shows strength of feeling about a matter.

sixandahalf Sun 17-May-26 09:34:52

Why does it matter how many people attended?

It's almost as if some posters are sympathetic. Surely not.

foxie48 Sun 17-May-26 09:32:18

Sadly I think the algorithms that drive social media are having a hugely disproportionate effect on people's political views. Back in the day, the newspapers, particularly the red tops, were influential but at least people often only read one a day but nowadays we are bombarded with social media posts that increasingly reinforce, amplify and drive polarisation. It's of note that much of the money that comes to Reform is channeled into media of one sort or another and that foreign money and foreign countries that are no friends of the UK are involved in flooding us with political messages that generally support the far right. Russia, in particular, is known to have been active in supporting Brexit! We've seen how a man like Trump has been able to gain political power and I worry that we are now seeing people like Tommy Robinson being seen as "acceptable" and suitable leader of people, a promoter of acceptable political ideas and behaviour. It's totally shocking!

Primrose53 Sun 17-May-26 09:29:03

keepingquiet

keepingquiet

I haven't seen the news- was there actually any trouble?

I still haven't heard that there was any trouble?

People who attended the demo say the MSM massively underestimated the number of people attending.

The Met Police say 150,000 marched for Unite the Kingdom and 5,000 for the counter protest. They also said the march passed ā€œlargely without significant incidentā€. They say there were 31 arrests. Pretty good result then. I am sure if there was any major stuff like violence it would have made headline news.

sixandahalf Sun 17-May-26 09:26:54

Aren't the far right reclaiming Christianity too?

It's horrible.

Wyllow3 Sun 17-May-26 09:08:11

Trouble is we are so insular news wise that many don't know anything about ICE1
and those getting information from Robinson type social media with have painted it as a Great Idea without the details that are so troubling.

I did notice however on photos of the anti-right march quite a number of Welsh Flags. A sort of reclamation away from the Right. Not sure what to make of it.

LemonJam Sun 17-May-26 08:48:43

TR making a call for the UK version of ICE concerned me. Looking at how that has played out in the US I wouldn't like to see ICE version 2 on the streets of the UK.

Casdon Sun 17-May-26 08:43:17

keepingquiet

keepingquiet

I haven't seen the news- was there actually any trouble?

I still haven't heard that there was any trouble?

We won’t know until they release the information about who was arrested and why? I guess they will do that tomorrow.

The policing was high, and less than half the anticipated numbers turned up to march, so the police were able to keep the two marches separate, and that must have made a huge difference to the amount of trouble that occurred

Vintagewhine Sun 17-May-26 08:38:43

"Unite the kingdom" seems more like "Disunite the kingdom" to me. The people I heard interviewed on the news only spoke about two things, immigration ( hatred of) and getting rid of Starmer. TR is a rabble rousing thug with connections to International far right extremist groups, his criminal record and past history should lead people to see a red flag not the George Cross.

NotSpaghetti Sun 17-May-26 08:33:06

Maremia here it is:

www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/london-march-tommy-robinson-unite-the-kingdom-led-by-donkeys-b2978005.html

keepingquiet Sun 17-May-26 08:22:31

keepingquiet

I haven't seen the news- was there actually any trouble?

I still haven't heard that there was any trouble?

eazybee Sun 17-May-26 08:10:01

No comment.