The Met Police says more than 1,600 officers will be deployed as part of the overall public order policing operation in London

09:13, 13 Sep 2025Updated 09:15, 13 Sep 2025

Protests will take place in London and across the UK today(Image: Getty Images)

Protests are taking place across the UK today. Events have been organised in England, Wales, and Scotland from 11am onwards. Tommy Robinson has organised the Unite the Kingdom march in London, whilst counter-demonstrations have been organised in London, Newtown in Powys, Dundee and Newcastle.

The Met Police says more than 1,600 officers will be deployed as part of the overall public order policing operation, including 500 brought in from other forces.

Around 1,000 officers will be responsible for ensuring that two demonstrations in central London take place safely. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here

Commander Clair Haynes, who is in charge of the public order policing operation in London this weekend, said: “This will be a very busy day with protest, sporting fixtures, concerts and other events. The Met is used to delivering the sort of complex and large-scale policing operation that is required to keep the public safe and we have a detailed plan to do so on Saturday.

“I am grateful to the many hundreds of Met officers who are being deployed away from their day to day roles and to the 500 or so officers from around the country who have responded to our request for support.

“The main focus of the operation is on the two protests in central London. We will approach them as we do any other protests, policing without fear or favour, ensuring people can exercise their lawful rights but being robust in dealing with incidents or offences should they occur.

“In the run up to the protests we have been in close contact with the organisers, with local business and community representatives and with representatives of communities across London more broadly.”

The following events will be taking place across the UK today:

Unite the Kingdom

The protest comes on the same day as the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march and rally organised by Tommy Robinson which is due to take place in London on Saturday, beginning from 11am.

Promoted as the UK’s “biggest free speech” protest, the 42-year-old has described his event as a day to “unite the kingdom”.

Participants will form up in Stamford Street, just off the IMAX roundabout south of Waterloo Bridge.

They will then march along York Road and over Westminster Bridge, turning into the southern end of Whitehall where a rally will take place.

Newtown rally

A counter-demonstration is taking place in Newtown, Powys, in response to the London rally.

Taking place from 11.45am at Market Hall, High Street, it is organised by Undod/Solidarity Mid-Wales, a newly formed coalition of local activists.

It will feature the following speakers: Steve Witherden, MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, Liz Saville Roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Senedd candidates for Gwynedd Maldwyn: Kim Bryan, Ian Pryce Parry and Elwyn Vaughan.

A nine-hour flight restriction zone, specifically affecting drones, will be imposed above Newtown on Saturday, September 13, as police say they seek to “facilitate lawful and peaceful protests in the town centre”.

A temporary ‘no-fly zone’ will be in place between 9am and 6pm.

Dyfed-Powys Police says the measures mean it will be an offence for any unmanned aircraft to fly below 2,000 feet above surface level in the designated area, without its explicit permission.

Stand Up To Racism demonstrations

The group Stand Up To Racism is putting on a national demonstration on Saturday, September 13.

People taking part will assemble at 12pm at Russell Square before marching to Whitehall.

Diane Abbott MP has been announced as a speaker at the event, along with David Rosenberg, of the Jewish Socialists’ Group.

Protests will also take part near Newcastle’s Laing Gallery at 11.30am, and in Dundee, at Stobsmuir Park, Pitkerro Road, at 1.45pm.