Metropolitan Police have charged eight protesters with assault and public order offences following Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” rally on Saturday, which saw an estimated 150,000 demonstrators flood central London streets in one of Britain’s largest far-right gatherings in decades.
The charges come as Scotland Yard launches a major post-event investigation, with Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Norris warning that arrests are “just the start” as officers trawl through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to identify those involved in violent disorder that left 26 police officers injured, four seriously.
Three men appeared in court on Monday: Richard Hamilton, 42, of Glasgow, charged with assault on an emergency worker; Matthew Wilkins, 55, of Hampshire, charged with breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act; and Jamie Brewer, 35, of Essex, charged with actual bodily harm against a police officer. All three were remanded in custody.
Massive Turnout Exceeds Police Expectations
The Metropolitan Police described attendance as “a very large turnout,” estimating between 110,000 and 150,000 protesters at the anti-immigration rally, far surpassing organisers’ expectations. The demonstration, whilst overwhelmingly peaceful, descended into violence when some attendees clashed with officers attempting to maintain separation from a 5,000-strong counter-demonstration organised by Stand Up To Racism.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said officers faced “unacceptable violence” from protesters who came “intent on violence,” confronting police with “physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.
The injured officers suffered serious injuries including broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc and head injuries. Several were punched, kicked and struck by bottles thrown from the fringes of the rally, prompting deployment of reinforcements with helmets and riot shields to support the 1,000-plus officers on duty.
Star-Studded Speaker Line-up Includes Elon Musk
The rally featured an international cast of right-wing figures, with US billionaire Elon Musk appearing via video link to address the crowd. The Tesla CEO condemned “uncontrolled immigration” and called for urgent government change, telling protesters: “Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.”
Other speakers included French far-right politician Eric Zemmour, Danish People’s Party leader Morten Messerschmidt, Petr Bystron of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Polish MEP Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian activist Filip Dewinter, and London mayoral challenger Ant Middleton.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, told the hoarse crowd that migrants now had more rights in court than the “British public, the people that built this nation.” He billed the event as “the UK’s biggest free speech festival” and “a show of patriotic unity like nothing seen before,” declaring: “Today is the spark of a cultural revolution in Great Britain. This is our moment.”
Police Launch Manhunt for Eleven Suspects
The Met has issued photographs of eleven individuals officers are trying to trace in relation to the disorder, seeking public assistance to identify suspects wanted for questioning about assaults on emergency services workers and various public order offences.
Public order policing doesn’t end when the event is over,” Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Norris said. “Our post-event investigation is ongoing, and officers have trawled through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage and continue to review evidence to help with inquiries.”
She added: “We have identified a number of people we want to speak to in connection with a range of offences, and we are asking for the public’s help to track them down. We know people may have travelled from outside of London, so we’re asking for people across the country to take a look at those pictured and get in touch if they recognise anyone.
Full List of Those Charged
The remaining five men charged will appear in court at later dates:
Lewis Siverns, 33, of Sandwell, West Midlands, charged with assault on an emergency worker and bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 1 October.
Aaron Wren, 36, of Rochester, Kent, charged under Section 4A of the Public Order Act and bailed to appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on 29 September.
James Moore, 50, of Barnstaple, Devon, charged with common assault on a police officer and bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 October.
Paul Newman, 56, of Uxbridge, west London, charged with breach of a dispersal order and bail conditions not to enter the Borough of Westminster, bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 October.
Norman Richards, 58, of Thurrock, Essex, charged with assault on a police officer and bailed to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on 13 October.
Crowds Stretched from Big Ben to Waterloo
The demonstration saw participants carrying the St George’s red-and-white flag of England and the Union Jack, chanting “We want our country back” and holding signs saying “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children.
At one point, the crowd stretched from Big Ben across the River Thames and around the corner beyond Waterloo train station, a distance of approximately three-quarters of a mile. The marches had been largely peaceful until late afternoon when Unite the Kingdom supporters threw items at the rival rally and attempted to break through barriers separating the groups.
Police had to use force to prevent crowd-control fences from being breached, with officers in full protective equipment deploying shields, horses and dogs to keep protesters away from opposing groups. The rally overran the 6pm cut-off time imposed under the Public Order Act.
Government Condemns Violence
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned “those who have attacked and injured police officers,” insisting that “anyone taking part in criminal activity will face the full force of the law.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that Britain would “never surrender” to far-right protesters, posting on X: “People have a right to peaceful protest. But we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the colour of their skin.
The rally comes at the tail end of a highly charged summer in the UK featuring several protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, following the arrest of an Ethiopian man later convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a London suburb.
Robinson, who founded the nationalist and anti-Islam English Defence League, had planned a Unite the Kingdom rally last October but could not attend after being jailed for contempt of court for violating a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.
The Metropolitan Police deployed 1,600 officers across London for the event, including 500 brought in from other forces, whilst also managing five Premier League matches and concerts taking place the same day.
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