By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - In a powerful show of unity against hate and discrimination, thousands of anti-racism demonstrators gathered at Piccadilly Circus in London on Saturday morning to counter a protest organized by far-right groups.
The rally, which began at 11.30 am. local time, brought crowds who voiced strong opposition to the ideologies represented by the far-right protesters assembled nearby on Whitehall Street.
The anti-racism activists, who represented a diverse cross-section of London's community, chanted slogans condemning fascism, racism, Islamophobia, and discrimination, emphasizing the importance of inclusion and tolerance.
- 'There are many more of us than you and you shall not pass'
Addressing the crowd, Left MP Diane Abbott said: "Here we are once again on the streets against the racist and the fascist. This is something we have had to do for decades… but we have always won, and we will win again this time. There are many more of us than you, and you will not escape.”
"These are dark times. 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and (US President) Biden and (UK Prime Minister) Starmer have not told Israelis 'do not kill too many civilians,' and you know what if they want to stop the war, they can stop sending arms to Israel," she underlined.
She said a London police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man two years ago has been acquitted of murder after a high-profile trial that drew widespread public attention.
Martyn Blake, a 40-year-old marksman with the Metropolitan Police, was cleared by a London jury on Monday in the death of 24-year-old Chris Kaba.
"We have to fight against living a society where the police believe they are above the law," she said.
A speaker from the United Families and Friends Campaign also addressed the crowd, saying they are not here "just for the Kaba family, but for all grieving families who have been bereaved at the hands of the state."
- Far-right protest
The location of the far-right protest on Whitehall Street – a central hub in London and home to Downing Street No. 10, the office of the Prime Minister – underscored the national importance of the issues at play.
Protesters gathered in front of Victoria Station in the early morning, shouting slogans in support of fascist figure Tommy Robinson.
Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was remanded in custody on Friday and is set to appear in court for contempt on Monday.
The protest was organized by far-right groups descending in London from various locations in the UK.
- Arrests
The protest is the largest far-right event since the riots that saw violence against refugees and foreigners at the end of July, following the murder of three young children in a terror attack on Southport.
In anticipation of potential conflict between the two groups, police took security measures along Whitehall to prevent any confrontations.
So far, four people have been arrested in connection with a far-right march and anti-racist counter-protest in London.
According to the Metropolitan Police, two people were arrested at the 'Uniting the Kingdom' demonstration: one for violating "Public Order Act" conditions and disturbing the peace, and the other for a racially aggravated public order offense.
A brief altercation also took place near the Stand Up To Racism stage, where officers arrested a woman for common assault.
In a separate incident, another arrest was made after an officer was assaulted as a group from the counter-protest attempted to push through a police cordon at the end of The Mall.