Met Police officers were out in force today, overseeing protests and preparing for the Champions League final at Wembley.
More than 2,000 officers were deployed across London to manage fan events and monitor several protests. The officers kept a close watch on Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid supporters ahead of the 8 pm kickoff.
Earlier in the day, far-right activist Tommy Robinson led a demonstration at Parliament Square, while Stand Up To Racism organized a counter-protest on Whitehall.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, claimed to protest against alleged "two-tier policing." Meanwhile, Stand Up To Racism aimed to campaign against "racism and Islamophobia."
Scotland Yard identified individuals at Robinson's protest with histories of violent disorder, noting that many had football banning orders and associations with hooligan groups from London and across the UK. The crowd also included people previously involved in anti-lockdown protests during the pandemic.
The Met Police made two arrests near Parliament Square: one for being drunk and disorderly and assaulting an emergency worker, and another related to an incident where a woman was racially abused.
As football fans geared up for the evening's Champions League final, London witnessed heightened tensions with significant police activity ensuring public safety. Photo by http://www.cgpgrey.com, Wikimedia commons.