Met Police deploy facial recognition and 4,000 officers for London rival rallies

Tens of thousands of people participated in separate pro-Palestine and far-right rallies in central London on Saturday, prompting the Metropolitan Police to deploy 4,000 officers and significant resources in what was described as their largest public order operation in years. The pro-Palestine march coincided with Nakba Day, while the far-right rally was organised by Tommy Robinson under the banner “Unite the Kingdom”. Police implemented strict conditions to separate the groups, utilising armoured vehicles, drones, and live facial recognition technology. Eleven arrests were made by midday. The UK government barred 11 foreign nationals from entering the country for the far-right event, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that those causing havoc would face the full force of the law.

The Metropolitan Police has implemented unprecedented security measures for the two major demonstrations, utilising live facial recognition technology for the first time at a protest. The operation, which coincides with the FA Cup Final, involves the deployment of 4,000 officers, alongside horses, dogs, drones, and helicopters, to manage rival gatherings. Police forecast a turnout of at least 80,000 people, with approximately 50,000 expected at Robinson’s march and 30,000 at the Nakba Day rally.

Authorities had imposed various conditions on the two rallies over their routes and timings in a bid to keep rival attendees apart. The police force estimates its operation will cost £4.5 million ($6 million) and warned it would adopt a “zero-tolerance approach”. This includes, for the first time, making organisers legally responsible for ensuring invited speakers do not break hate speech laws. Prosecutors were instructed to consider whether certain protest placards or chants may amount to offences or stir up aggression.

The British government earlier blocked 11 foreign nationals from entering the country for the “Unite the Kingdom” rally. Right-wing figures claiming to have been barred include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, Colombian-American anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez, and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek. The Crown Prosecution Service’s director, Stephen Parkinson, stated the focus was on preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that anyone seeking to disrupt public order would face the full force of the law. Starmer accused the organisers of Robinson’s rally of “peddling hatred and division”. This event follows a similar rally in September last year, where Robinson drew about 110,000 people and Elon Musk addressed the crowd. Meanwhile, the Stand Up to Racism group combined its antifascism march with the pro-Palestine event to mark Nakba Day, commemorating the 1948 mass expulsion of Palestinians.