Supporters of far-right British figure rally as anti-racism demonstrators mount counter-protest

LONDON (AP) - Thousands of supporters of jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson marched through London on Saturday as anti-racism demonstrators mounted a nearby counter-protest.

The so-called Unite the Kingdom march - planned by Robinson and supposed to feature him as speaker - led to calls for his freedom after his arrest Friday on a warrant for contempt of court.

"We want Tommy out,” the crowd of mostly white men chanted. The sea of marchers toted Union and England flags and some waved "Make America Great" banners as they gathered near a fenced-off statute of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the square opposite the Houses of Parliament.

The march was countered by thousands of people organized by the group Stand Up to Racism who held signs saying "Refugees welcome" and "Oppose Tommy Robinson."

Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is the founder of the nationalist and anti-Islamist English Defense League and remains one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain.

He has been blamed for stirring up protests that turned into a week of violent disorder across England and Belfast, Northern Ireland this summer after social media users falsely identified the suspect in a stabbing rampage that killed three young girls in the seaside community of Southport as an immigrant and a Muslim.

Robinson supporters railed against the jailing of hundreds of rioters who assaulted police officers, set cars ablaze, screamed racist epithets and attacked hotels housing asylum seekers.

Some participants wore "I am Peter Lynch" badges and one man held a fishing pole with a sign reading "Peter Lynch RIP patriot.” They were referring to a 61-year-old man who died in prison after pleading guilty for his role as part of an angry mob that smashed windows at a hotel in the northern town of Rotherham housing migrants and injured dozens of riot police.

A separate march of several hundred family members, friends and supporters of those who have died in police custody also took place. Some of those activists seemed to echo the anti-racism marchers by holding signs that said "No to hatred, no to fascism."

At least five people were arrested at the main rallies, the Metropolitan Police said.

Two were arrested on suspicion of assault, including one allegedly on a police officer, at the anti-racism march. One person was arrested at the Unite the Kingdom march for a public order offense and another on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense. A fifth person was arrested for allegedly directing a racist remark at an officer, but the Met hadn’t confirmed which protest the person attended.

Robinson, who has been jailed in the past for assault, contempt of court and mortgage fraud, faces a hearing Monday in a contempt-of-court proceeding for allegedly violating a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libelous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

While Robinson was banned from Twitter in 2018, he was allowed back after Elon Musk took over the social network and rebranded it X. He now has 1 million followers.