More than 100,000 people poured into central London today for a huge rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The event, branded “Unite the Kingdom,” drew massive crowds waving

Union Jacks and St George’s flags, while around 5,000 counter-protesters gathered nearby to oppose it under the banner of Stand Up To Racism.

The march began at Waterloo and wound its way to Whitehall, where speeches took place. Among those addressing the crowd were Robinson himself and, in a surprise video link, billionaire Elon Musk, who urged a snap election and called for a change of government. TV personality Katie Hopkins also joined Robinson on stage, alongside actor Laurence Fox and former soldier Ant Middleton.

For much of the morning, the demonstrations were relatively calm. But by mid-afternoon, tensions escalated. The Metropolitan Police reported “unacceptable violence” after projectiles—including bottles and flares—were thrown at officers trying to keep the two groups apart. At one point, a glass bottle struck a police horse, causing it and its rider to stumble. Nine arrests were made.

Police had prepared for trouble, deploying around 1,000 officers plus 500 reinforcements from other regions. Horses and riot squads were used to hold lines between Robinson supporters and anti-racism activists, who carried signs reading “Refugees Welcome, Stop the Far Right.”

Videos showed scuffles near Trafalgar Square, with police using batons as they attempted to push Robinson supporters back. Officers said some protesters tried to breach barriers to reach the counter-demonstrators.

At the Stand Up To Racism rally, veteran MP Diane Abbott reminded the crowd that “racism and violence and fascism is not new” but said it had always been defeated before.

Robinson—whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon—used his speech to attack politicians and the courts, claiming the rights of undocumented migrants were being placed above those of local communities. His rally comes just months after his release from prison, where he served time for breaking a court order after making false claims about a Syrian refugee.

The Met ordered Robinson’s rally to finish by 6pm and the counter-protest by 4pm. While the majority of the day was peaceful, the violent clashes highlight the deep divides Robinson’s movement continues to stir in Britain. Photo by Shayan Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn, Wikimedia commons.