Prosecutors have been issued with fresh guidance instructing them to treat protest placards, banners and chants filmed and shared on social media as potential hate speech offences, as tens of thousands of people prepare to converge on central London for two rival demonstrations.
Unprecedented police operation
The Metropolitan Police has mobilised what it describes as an “unprecedented” security operation costing £4.5 million, with armoured vehicles, police horses, dogs, drones and helicopters deployed alongside thousands of officers. Around 4,000 officers will be on duty on Saturday, with 660 drafted in from forces outside the Met at a cost of £1.7 million. Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the operation was taking place against a backdrop of “continued global instability and tension”, increased antisemitism, concerns within Jewish and Muslim communities, and a severe terrorism threat level.
Police estimate that approximately 50,000 people will attend the Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom rally, while around 30,000 are expected at the Nakba Day pro-Palestine demonstration. The Nakba Day rally, which commemorates the “Palestinian catastrophe” of 1948, has been organised by a coalition including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War, with Stand Up To Racism also joining to oppose the Unite the Kingdom march.
For the first time under official protest restrictions, organisers of the rallies will be legally responsible for ensuring that invited speakers do not break hate speech laws, and will face prosecution alongside any speaker who uses the events as a platform for extremism or hate speech.
Live facial recognition technology will be used for the first time in a protest policing operation. Cameras have been set up in Camden, an area not on the route of the Unite the Kingdom march but expected to be used by many attendees. The Met said intelligence indicated a potential “threat to public safety” from some attendees of that march. The Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, Professor William Webster, warned that the technology is not “foolproof” and could lead to police forces facing legal action over misidentifications and infringements on fundamental rights. Civil liberties groups have expressed concerns about a potential “chilling effect” on democratic participation. Live facial recognition will not be used in connection with the Nakba Day march, prompting accusations of “two-tier policing”.
Drones will be used to monitor both protest routes for “potential clashes or flashes”, while officers in Wembley will monitor CCTV feeds from the FA Cup Final to identify supporters travelling towards demonstrations. Commander Clair Haynes told the Prime Minister during a visit to the Met’s gold command suite in Lambeth that the technology would be deployed across the day.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, seated in front of live CCTV images of different parts of the capital, told Sir Keir Starmer: “We’ve got a time when hate crime has been escalated for the last two or three years. And then ‘small p’ politics and protest groups who have got more polarised and angry, and so both groups at the weekend have a track record of having an intimidatory effect on the communities.”
The Metropolitan Police Federation said many officers have had leave cancelled and rest days withdrawn to meet policing requirements, adding: “There are not enough of us.”
New prosecution guidance on hate speech
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued revised legal advice that explicitly directs prosecutors to consider whether slogans, symbols or chants seen on social media may amount to offences of stirring up hatred during the rallies. The CPS said the revised advice is designed to reflect “the changing international context” and follows separate guidance concerning the fast-tracking of hate crime prosecutions issued earlier this month.
The guidance tells prosecutors to take account of the wider context surrounding protests, including heightened tensions linked to national or international events. It also instructs them to assess whether material filmed and shared online could influence audiences beyond the immediate protest location. Offences of stirring up hatred under the Public Order Act 1986 carry maximum prison sentences of seven years.
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said: “This is not about restricting free speech. It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions. Where the line into criminality is crossed, we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
Recent criminal cases cited in the guidance have seen suspects charged after shouting “death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)” and “globalise the intifada”. The Met Police has confirmed it will arrest individuals inciting hatred, including those using the chant “globalise the intifada”, which has been a focus of police action in recent months. Lawyers from the CPS will work alongside Met officers to provide real-time charging advice during the protests.
The guidance also notes that previous Unite the Kingdom protests in September 2025 resulted in violent clashes, with more than 50 outstanding and unidentified suspects still being sought.
Government blocks foreign nationals
The Government has blocked 11 foreign nationals described by Sir Keir Starmer as “far-right agitators” from entering the UK ahead of the Unite the Kingdom rally. Right-wing figures claiming to have been barred include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.
Speaking during a visit to the Metropolitan Police command centre in Lambeth on Friday, the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, said the Unite the Kingdom organisers were “peddling hatred and division, plain and simple”. He added: “We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. But anyone spreading hate or committing acts of violence will face the full force of the law.” Downing Street said law-abiding protesters would continue to be protected, but warned that anyone attempting to “break the law and create chaos” should expect to “feel the full force of the law”.
Both Jewish and Muslim communities have reported feeling intimidated by previous protests, with some individuals avoiding central London or concealing signs of their faith. The Met’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Harman said the operation was needed because of increased community concerns alongside a severe terrorism threat level.
