Demonstrators at yesterday’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march through central London have been filmed appearing to break into a hospital to urinate in the garden.
Between 110,000 and 150,000 people turned out to yesterday’s rally in the capital, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The event was organised by far-right agitator Tommy Robinson and featured speakers including ex-actor Laurence Fox and X owner Elon Musk.
Police said the turnout ‘significantly’ exceeded the estimates provided beforehand by the organisers, and the day ended with 25 people being arrested and 26 officers injured.
While the event began peacefully, the Met said it ended with officers being punched and kicked as they tried to prevent attendees of the larger march entering areas where a Stand Up To Racism counter-protest was taking place.
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‘Bottles, flares and other projectiles’ were thrown, a Met statement said, while horses and dogs were required to keop the opposing groups apart.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said the 25 arrests made so far is ‘just the start’, with the post-event investigation beginning yesterday evening.
He added: ‘There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence.
‘They confronted officers, engaging in physical and verbal abuse and making a determined effort to breach cordons in place to keep everyone safe.
‘The violence they faced was wholly unacceptable. 26 officers were injured, including four seriously – among them broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc and a head injury.’
One witness filmed the vast crowd moving past St Thomas’ Hospital, across Westminster Bridge from the Houses of Parliament.
Several marchers can be seen pushing through barriers and making their way into the grounds.
The witness – who was visiting her partner in hospital when she took the video – said: ‘There’s fencing around the hospital grounds and I could see three security officers trying to hold the fence up.
‘But they broke it down and flooded into the grounds. They came into the garden and started peeing in the bushes.’
The 28-year-old, who did not want to be named, recalled passing Tommy Robinson supporters on her way to the hospital: ‘There was lots of drinking, lots of bags with cans, and lots of people stood on top of bus stops. They looked like they were going to a football match.
‘I heard a lot of Tommy Robinson chants, and some Charlie Kirk chants. And a lot of “f*** Keir Starmer” chants.
‘Most had England and Union Jack flags wrapped around them. Walking through the crowd was quite intimidating.’
In an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, Business Secretary Peter Kyle declined to criticise the marchers.
He said: ‘What we saw yesterday was over 100,000 people who were expressing freedom of association, freedom of speech, and proving that both of those things are alive and well in this country.
‘A small minority of those who were protesting committed acts of violence against our police, for which they should and will be held accountable.’
Kyle added Robinson was ‘able to touch into a sense of disquiet and grievance’ in communities that are ‘being driven further apart’.
However said Elon Musk’s remarks during a video-link speech at the march – where he told protesters to ‘fight back’ or ‘die’ – were ‘slightly incomprehensible’ and ‘totally inappropriate’.
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