UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blocked foreign speakers from entering the country ahead of the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally
Large crowds have descended upon central London for an anti-immigration rally dubbed ‘Unite the Kingdom’. Videos and photographs circulating on social media on Saturday showed demonstrators with Union Jack flags, crosses, and other Christian symbols marching through the streets of the British capital.
Ahead of the event, local media, citing the authorities, reported that an estimated 50,000 people were expected to take part. Another large-scale demonstration, a pro-Palestinian march marking Nakba Day, was taking place in London concurrently with the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally, as well as the FA Cup. Some 4,000 officers were deployed to maintain public order in the British capital, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.
A few hours after both demonstrations came to a close on Saturday afternoon, the authorities reported on X that a total of 43 arrests had been made, though both gatherings “proceeded largely without significant incident.”
Arrests have begun at the far-right Unite the Kingdom rally in central London today.Ryan Bridge, co-founder of the “Raise the Colours” movement — whose members attach flags to lampposts and engage in anti-migrant vigilantism — has been arrested by the Met Police.5Pillars is… pic.twitter.com/Ul5n2BaBad
— 5Pillars (@5Pillarsuk) May 16, 2026
‘Unite the Kingdom’ demonstration organizer Tommy Robinson, a British anti-immigration activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, called on his supporters to “GO HOME SAFELY,” proclaiming in an X post of his own that “WE WON.”
Ahead of Saturday’s anti-immigration rally in London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that several foreign activists and commentators had been denied entry to Britain. According to Downing Street, eleven people were blocked because their presence was considered “not conducive to the public good.”
READ MORE:
Patriotic protest or hate march? What is ‘Unite the Kingdom’?
British media identified some of those affected as Polish MEP Dominik Tarczynski, Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, US commentator Joey Mannarino, and US influencer Valentina Gomez. The Home Office reportedly revoked electronic travel authorizations issued to some participants before their planned arrival in the UK.
Starmer stated on Thursday that the authorities would not permit anyone to “spread hate on our streets,” according to remarks published by the UK government. The restrictions drew criticism from supporters of the march, who accused the authorities of attempting to suppress political dissent and limit attendance.
Tarczynski, however, did join the protesters via video link, drawing cheers from the crowd. The Polish lawmaker from the conservative Law and Justice party said among other things: “He could ban me. He will not cancel you. And believe me, there will be a day I will be back.”
🚨BREAKING: MET police reports indicate that MILLIONS of patriots are on the streets of London for Unite the kingdom.’Who’s streets our streets’Britain is wide awake 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/eieVS1ertY
— God Save Great Britain (@GSGB01) May 16, 2026
Addressing the attendees, Robinson, for his part, referred to the 2029 general elections as nothing short of the “battle for Britain.”
“If we don’t send a message in our next election, if you don’t register to vote, if you don’t get involved, if you don’t become activists, we are going to lose our country forever,” he said.
The right-wing activist urged his supporters to “get political,” and “join a political party.”
“I don’t care if it’s Reform, if it’s Advance, or it’s Restore, or it’s the Conservative Party. We have to locally get involved in politics,” Robinson proclaimed.
You can share this story on social media:
Read the full article here
