Right march – latest: Police brace for unrest as thousands of protesters descend on capital

Significant police presence in London as two large marches to converge in Westminster
Hundreds of people have already turned out to march in central London as thousands of protesters are set to descend on the capital for a mass demonstration against the far-right.

Scotland Yard said there will be a significant police presence on Saturday as two large marches will converge in Westminster.

As Together Alliance’s rally formed up, chants such as “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” and “choose love” were heard, while placards were held up bearing slogans, including: “Migrants make our NHS”, “No to racism, no to Trump”, and “Refugees welcome, stop the far right”.

Saturday’s event – involving a march, speeches on Whitehall and a music event in Trafalgar Square, featuring former Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock – has been framed as an attempt to stand up against the “politics of division”.

Organisers say they are hopeful they have “intimidated the far-right” away from a counter-protest, and they expect the rally will be peaceful.

A march organised by the Palestine Coalition will form up separately before joining the Together Alliance for a rally on Whitehall.

A video message from London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan will be played to those gathered at the Whitehall stage and the leader of the Green Party Zack Polanski is expected to make a speech.

Aerial view as crowds begin march against far-right
Today’s march against the far-right has gotten underway in central London, with aerial images showing the gathered crowds.

“Happening now: Park Lane to Whitehall.

Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott among high-profile attendees
'It’s very dangerous times': Protesters speak about reasons for demonstrating
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 Nigel Farage’s 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 she's joined march after witnessing racist incidents at school
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.”
In pictures: Together Alliance’s rally against far right gets underway in London
Hundreds turn out for Together Alliance’s rally
Hundreds of people have turned out in support of the Together Alliance’s rally against the far right in central London.

As the march formed up, there were chants of: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, and “choose love”.

Many protestors carried placards, bearing slogans such as: “Migrants make our NHS”, “No to racism, no to Trump”, and “Refugees welcome, stop the far right”.

Those in power use racism to 'feather own nests', NEU chief says
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said those in power have been using racism to “feather their own nests”, as he criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s comments around immigration.

In May last year, the Prime Minister said the UK risked becoming “an island of strangers”, in a speech about immigration.

Mr Kebede said ahead of the Together Alliance rally against the far-right on Saturday: “What we have seen – in the age of Trump in particular – is those in power using racism to feather their own nests, whether it’s Donald Trump, whether it’s Nigel Farage.

“And what’s even worse is we’ve seen the Prime Minister, instead of taking it on, tail-end it with the ‘island of strangers’ nonsense that he pedalled last year.”
He added: “The toxic climate that is taking place in society festers into schools.

We’re seeing an increase in racist incidents, whether that’s directed towards teachers and support staff, or pupil-on-pupil, so it’s incredibly difficult at the moment.”
Shadow justice secretary 'would have been sacked over Muslim public prayer comments a decade ago'
Rally co-organiser Kevin Courtney, chairman of the Together Alliance, said shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy would have been “sacked” for his comments about Muslim public prayer if he had made them 10 years ago.

Earlier this month, the Conservative MP described Muslim public prayer as an “act of domination and decision”, referring to an Open Iftar event held in Trafalgar Square.

Mr Courtney said: “Nick Timothy, who is a frontbencher for the Conservative Party, criticised the Muslim community, said they were taking over Trafalgar Square when they were having an Iftar event… they were praying as part of that.

“All faiths use Trafalgar Square.

The idea that Nick Timothy picks on one particular community, and criticise it, demonises it, I would say… it’s disturbing that those ideas have cut into the mainstream.

“10 years ago, he would have been sacked from the Tory frontbench for saying that.

He’s not being sacked now, so we are disturbed by the growth of far-right ideas across the mainstream, as well as in the particular expressions, like Tommy Robinson.”
Who are the celebrities backing the anti-far-right marches today
One march being held in London today is said to have the support of celebrities including comedian Sir Lenny Henry and singer Paloma Faith.

Meanwhile, a music event is set to feature artists such as former Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

UK seeing 'unprecedented growth' in far-right support, organiser says
Speaking ahead of a central London rally against the far-right on Saturday, co-organiser Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of the Together Coalition and co-convenor of Stand Up To Racism, said the UK is seeing an “unprecedented growth” in support for far-right organisations.

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.”
Asked if she was concerned about potential counter-protests and disorder, Ms Dhalu said: “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.”
Ms Dhalu said protestors have “no reason” not to abide by conditions put in place by the Metropolitan Police, adding that it will be a “peaceful” demonstration.

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