Police Intervene in Disorder at London St George's Day March

Police intervened in disorder at Richmond Terrace, London, before the start of a planned St George's Day march on Sunday, according to a Metropolitan Police post on X (formerly Twitter). Six arrests were made, including one on suspicion of assault, three on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, one on suspicion of animal cruelty after a police horse was targeted, and one on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

The Metropolitan Police had anticipated 'far-right groups and groups linked to football clubs' to attend the gathering in Whitehall, which was attended by former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson and Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox. Before the event began, mounted officers had to intervene after a group broke through a police cordon that was formed to stop people who had moved past the allocated area in Richmond Terrace.

The Metropolitan Police shared a video showing officers forming a cordon, but a group, some waving flags and others wearing St George's flags, pushing past it before two mounted officers on horses intervened. "The event was not due to start for an hour, but officers were already dealing with disorder," the police stated. "The group had gone past the allocated area in Richmond Terrace and continued up Whitehall, and when officers formed a cordon and asked them to turn around, the group reacted by violently forcing their way through."

Mounted officers intervened with horses to restore the cordon, and traffic was temporarily closed on Whitehall while police regained control of the situation. The Metropolitan Police enforced a Section 60AA order in the boroughs of Lambeth and Westminster, giving officers the power to require the removal of face coverings, and a Section 60 order giving additional search powers to prevent crime and disorder.

Why this matters: The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between far-right groups and law enforcement in the UK. It also underscores the challenges police face in maintaining public order during potentially volatile events while respecting the right to peaceful protest.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that six protesters have been arrested so far during the demonstrations in Whitehall. "Four arrests were made, one on suspicion of assault and three on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker," the police said. The event, which featured speakers including Tommy Robinson, saw a mix of English heritage celebration and anti-immigrant sentiment from some far-right attendees.

Key Takeaways

• Police intervened in disorder before St George's Day march in London.
• 6 arrests made, including assault, assaulting emergency worker, animal cruelty.
• Far-right groups and football fans attended the gathering in Whitehall.
• Police enforced Section 60 and 60AA orders to maintain public order.
• Event featured speakers like Tommy Robinson, with mix of heritage and anti-immigrant sentiment.