Police officers have clashed with protesters in central London on St George’s Day after people belonging to far right groups travelled across the UK to the capital to march on Whitehall.
The Met Police said some members of the large crowd, located near to the Cenotaph, ‘violently’ forced through police blockades, requiring the deployment of mounted officers.
A spokesperson previously said that among those expected to attend were people belonging to ‘far right groups’ and ‘groups linked to football clubs’.
Crowds blocked the road and chants of ‘England till I die’ could be heard in videos from the scene.
But despite videos showing some scuffles before the scheduled beginning of the event, it began as planned with no further incidents.
Officers from the Met Police clashed with protesters who attempted to force their way through police lines
Hundreds of people descended on central London, with many thought to have travelled from across the UK
Some of those who attended the rally dressed up in St George’s fancy dress – including as the patron saint himself
At around 2pm, the Met Police posted on X: ‘The event is not due to start for an hour and regrettably officers are already dealing with disorder.
‘There is an area allocated for this event in Richmond Terrace. This group went past it and continued up Whitehall.
‘When officers formed a cordon and asked the group to turn round, they reacted by violently forcing their way through. Mounted officers intervened with horses to restore the cordon.’
Police previously said the event was due to start at 3pm and ‘must’ end before 5pm.
Pictures from the scene show officers attempting to regain control of the crowd, many of whom are draped in England flags.
Video appears to show a police horse being hit with an umbrella, while some officers appear to be wearing riot gear. Protesters could be heard shouting profanities at officers and chanting.
A spokesperson for the force later added that Whitehall had reopened in both directions to traffic, and no further incidents had been reported.
Among those in attendance, and speaking at the rally, was former leader of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
The protest took place near the Cenotaph, where a service is held each year on Remembrance Sunday
The mostly male attendees were pictured gathering outside Downing Street
After the initial disorder, police said the event continued as planned and the road was reopened in both directions
Pictures from the scene show officers attempting to regain control of the crowd, many of whom are draped in England flags
Video footage from Whitehall shows protesters shouting at and scuffling with police officers
The Met Police shared a map of the expected protest and instructed those in attendance to remain within the pink area on Richmond Terrace
He was already in London having been acquitted of breaching a dispersal order while attending a pro-Israel protest on November 26 last year.
Robinson was cleared of the charge after it was admitted the dispersal order was possibly unlawful due to it having the wrong date on it.
The court heard Inspector Parker-Phipps, whose laptop battery was ‘dying’ at the time, put the order in place at 10am on November 26, but accidentally dated the form for November 24.
Robinson was arrested at the protest near the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Organisers had announced he was not welcome at the event.
The former EDL leader claimed he was attending the march as ‘a journalist’.
The Met has put a Section 60 order in place in Lambeth and Westminster, allowing them to increase stop and searches, as well as another order which gives officers the power to require removal of face coverings.
After the initial scuffles, the Met said it had reopened traffic and the event is proceeding as planned.
Some of those attending peacefully were seen to have dressed up for the occasion, with one person seen on the back of a horse while wearing a knight’s costume.
