London Police Deploy 1,600 Officers for Rival Far-Right, Anti-Racism Protests

London is preparing for large rival demonstrations on September 13, with around 1,600 police officers deployed to manage a march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners from Stand Up To Racism. Robinson's 'Unite the Kingdom' march, described as the UK's biggest free speech festival, will include far-right figures from Europe and North America, such as Eric Zemmour and Jordan Peterson, and aims to honor American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was recently killed. The counter-protest will occur on the opposite end of Whitehall, with police installing barriers to keep the groups apart and imposing conditions on routes and timings to prevent clashes. Commander Clair Haynes of the Metropolitan Police emphasized the need for lawful exercising of rights while being robust against any offenses, and reassured Muslim Londoners to maintain their usual routines despite concerns about anti-Muslim rhetoric at previous marches. The policing operation is complex, also managing concurrent sporting events and concerts, with officers drafted in from other forces to support the effort. Authorities have urged all participants to be considerate of communities and have prepared extensively to maintain safety during the events.