What a Day! March through London to Unite the Kingdom

By Esmerelda Weatherwax

As I said earlier I have never seen a crowd like it – the police were overwhelmed with the numbers and I think even the organisers were pleasantly surprised at the turnout.

I gave up all hope early on of getting near enough to a screen to see or hear the speakers. But you can catch them up on line. I’m sure there are already links to Katie Hopkins, Laurence Fox, Tommy himself, Elon Musk by video link and the others.

I decided I was of most use photographing the numbers and variety, talking to people and following events away from the stage.

The march was scheduled to muster at Waterloo on the south bank. Knowing the turn out would be good attendees were advised to leave at Blackfriars Station and corss Blackfriars Bridge to join the march in Stamford Street east of Waterloo Station. The route was to be along the South Bank, over Westminster Bridge and into Whitehall at the south end. Antifa and Stand up to Racism were expected to march from Russell Square and would be rallying in the north end of Whitehall by Trafalgar Square with a long corden sanitaire between. Well that worked well last time.

I went straight to Whitehall and went to greet friends who were involved as marshals. Already the area was filling up fast and there were queues for the portaloos. They had to be provided as Westminster Council had shut and locked the public ones outside Westminster Station and on Westminster Pier.  I don’t know why they do this. There will be mess afterwards.

There were (I think 4 screens at intervals down Whitehall after the stage and 4 areas set aside for disabled people using wheelcharis or mobility aids. This is one of them.

I decided to watch the march come over the bridge. And it just kept coming.

There wasn’t a lead banner with the  main speakers this time. Just more and more people.

Who had come by train, and tube, and bus, I heard that some had flown from distant parts, and even one couple in a boat.

I couldn’t believe how long the march was taking and I was assured that there were a lot more behind us. I turned back into Parliament Square and bumped into my friends of March for England. As usual it was good to see you gentlemen.

The crowd was very varied as you can see. Lots of older people. Ladies in pink.

Young women in bright summer dresses, and then plastic macs.

All the British flags, county flags, white rose of Yorkshire and red rose of Lancashire were obvious.

I also saw German, Norwegian, Romanian, US and Irish flags. Quite a few families, also black and Indian marchers.

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I took a turn round the square which was muddy and filling up quickly.

Numbers were already well in excess of the 70,000 at the Campaign Against Antisemitism 6 days ago.

At that point I thought 3 times as many. I was wrong. MORE!

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The people passing off Westminster Bridge were still 6-7 deep. I didn’t realised how many people were still queing on the south bank.

I decided to take a walk paralell to Whitehall along the Embankment passing Scotland Yard and the back of the MOD building.  From there I could see the numbers on Westminster Bridge, the numbers on the South bank, outside the London Eye and on the pedestrian footbridge at Hungerford Bridge.

I then realised that the last section had turned round and were coming back on to the north bank of the Thames. I suspected (rightly) that they were hoping to find a way into Whitehall from the north down one of the side streets.

The first and most likely side street was Horse Guards Avenue. Which was blocked by a police corden. As was the lane down the side of Scotland Yard (as one would expect). I heard a suggestion to push past the police.

The police were having none of it. Riot gear was donned, a phalanx formmed and reinforcments arrived in vans.

I decided to carry on round towards Charing Cross Station (nice clean facilities, always open, plus wifi). Hundreds of men and women with assorted flags were circulating.

I decided to see what was happening at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall and whether there was any sign of Antifa/SuTR. I had heard that they were much smaller in number.

Diane Abbot , the independent MP, told a crowd of anti-fascist protesters that Robinson’s allies “are some of the most anti-women forces in society . . . (The march shows)fascists cannot walk the streets of London unopposed”,

The numbers of women who support him and the rise of the Pink Ladies has obviously got them rattled.

Below Stand up to Racism woz ‘ere! Women against the far-right. Pshaw!

There were plenty of patriotic marchers in Trafalgar Square and the very northern section of Whitehall. The group on the steps of Nelson’s Column were singing in good voice. Queen’s We Are the Champions was particularly good.

Antifa were trapped between two groups of patriotic marchers and the police were forming up in riot gear in defensive formations.

Then police horses came forward and formed a barrier across Northumberland Avenue. Lines of police moved forward and wheeled round pushing people into an ever smaller area.

When I noticed that they were slowly blocking the exits off the square and that my route to Charing Cross and Embankment station beyond was alreay blocked I decided it was time to go, before the route behind St Martins in the Fields Church went.

So I came home.

The late Charlie Kirk was honoured by many.

My husband texted me to warn me. He was following a live feed with the information that the police had knocked somebody unconcious in or around Trafalgar Square. Later he informed me that a route was cleared and SuTR was escorted out in the direction of Leicester Square (north of Trafalgar Square) at about half past six.

This is an aerial shot of the march. I didn’t take it; my microlight is in for servicing. It’s from T0mmy’s own X account . But you can see the numbers.

And this is from a video that the Telegraph have, via Reuters.

The papers are focusing on Stand up to racism and the relatively small number of arrests out of a march and rally attended by a lot more than 110,000. Spread the truth about.