This was the biggest nationalist rally in recent memory – perhaps ever.

Well before the march started, thousands of people flowed over Blackfriars bridge, or came up from Waterloo station, flags everywhere, hailing from everywhere – from Yorkshire roses to the diamond of the Isle of Wight.

What exactly it was that “United the Kingdom” was left vague, for people to cheer their own particular cause.

This was billed as a free speech rally and the most common chants we heard were “Keir Starmer’s a w*****r”, “oh Tommy Tommy” and “we want our country back”.

That means different things to different people.

As it happened: Thousands attend ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally

Dawn, up from Southampton and wearing a red sequined jacket, said it was because the country was “getting overrun”. She said she was talking only about illegal migration.

Others didn’t draw that distinction.

Danny from south Birmingham was holding a sign that said: “Send them Back” – and said he was unhappy with migration “in general”. He came to “stand up for what we believe in, the religion and identity of our country”.

That’s been a difference with this rally compared to past ones I’ve covered – an overt Christian nationalism.

People carried wooden crosses. One person had a light up crucifix.

When the crowd arrived at Whitehall, they were led from the stage in a chant of ‘Christ is king’. And then a public recital of the Lord’s Prayer shortly after that. It’s an important difference. Not just a flag to rally around, but a religion too.

At the centre of it all, the anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson.

When Robinson took the stage, it was more like a football match or festival than a political rally.

“We rode the storm, we weathered the storm, and today we are the storm,” he shouted hoarsely.

That’s not much of an exaggeration, not when Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, made a virtual appearance to back Robinson.

Other speakers included those who can be uncontroversially classed as far right. And thugs clashed violently with police.

And it’s clear that simply writing off protestors as far right doesn’t really capture what’s going on either. The audience is too broad to fit just that label.

The tinderbox summer of protest promised by activists never really caught flame. Instead, there has been the slow, steady burn of nationalism.

This was its culmination but also, those here hoped, the beginning of something even bigger.

There were 25 arrests in London on Saturday as up to 150,000 people turned up to join a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Protesters forming the “Unite the Kingdom” rally gathered in the centre of the capital, holding Union and St George’s flags.

They heard a series of speeches, including from Mr Robinson, who called it the “biggest freedom of speech” in British history.

Police estimated that between 110,000 to 150,000 attended the event, significantly exceeding the estimates of organisers.

An anti-racism counter-protest, attended by about 5,000 campaigners, also took place, with the two groups clashing on Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, separated by lines of police.

There were 25 arrests made, with many more likely, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that officers faced “significant aggression” from “Unite the Kingdom” attendees.

“The violence they faced was wholly unacceptable,” police said.

“26 officers were injured, including four seriously – among them broken teeth, a possible broken nose, a concussion, a prolapsed disc and a head injury.”

Police said the Robinson crowd was too big to fit into Whitehall and confrontation happened when police tried to stop them from encircling counter-protesters and accessing the area from different routes.

A spokesman said: “When officers moved in to stop them, they faced unacceptable violence. They were assaulted with kicks and punches. Bottles, flares and other projectiles were thrown.

“Nine arrests have been made so far for various offences, but many more people have been identified as committing offences. We will find them and they will face police action, even if it is not possible to do so today.

“Officers are continuing to face aggression in multiple locations, in particular at the north of Whitehall as they work to create a safe exit route for those who have been taking part in the Stand Up To Racism protest.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned “those who have attacked and injured police officers” during the protests, promising anyone taking part in criminal activity will “face the full force of the law”.

Musk makes surprise appearance

Robinson live-streamed the rally on X, with its audience peaking at 2.9 million viewers on Saturday afternoon.

Making a surprise appearance via video link, tech billionaire Elon Musk called for a “change of government” in the UK.

“You can’t – we don’t have another four years, or whenever the next election is, it’s too long,” Musk told the crowd. “Something’s got to be done. There’s got to be a dissolution of parliament and a new vote held.”

TV presenter Katie Hopkins also spoke after earlier appearing alongside Robinson, Lawrence Fox and Ant Middleton at the front of the march.

‘Revolution has started – you can’t stop it’

With a voice which sounded hoarse from shouting, Robinson told crowds during his speech that “millions” had showed up for the rally.

“The dam has well and truly burst,” he said. “The cat is out of the bag and there is no putting it back in. The silent majority will be silent no longer.”

Addressing Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government, Robinson said: “The revolution has started – and you can’t stop it.”

Referring to a Court of Appeal decision to overturn an injunction blocking asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, Robinson claimed UK courts found the rights of undocumented migrants supersede those of the “local community”.

He said: “They told the world that Somalians, Afghanis, Pakistanis, all of them, their rights supersede yours – the British public, the people that built this nation.”

A Sikh woman who was raped in a “racially aggravated attack” in the West Midlands says she “would never wish this on anyone”.

Police were called just before 8.30am on Tuesday after the woman, who is in her 20s, reported being attacked by two white men in the area around Tame Road in Oldbury.

The Sikh Federation (UK) said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman during the attack: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.”

The woman, who is entitled to anonymity as the victim of a sex offence, issued a statement through community group Sikh Youth UK.

Thanking everyone for their support, she said: “We are going through a lot, but the strength and kindness shown by the right people in the community has been incredible and I can’t thank them enough for being my voice.

“I would never wish this on anyone. All I was doing was going about my day on my way to work, and what has happened has deeply affected us.”

Calling her family her “rock,” she went on: “The police are doing their best to find those responsible, and I truly hope they are caught so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

She said she was “truly humbled” by the love and support she’d received.

She added: “I want to personally thank my family, Sikh Youth UK, who have been so supportive, the local Gurdwara committees and Sikh orgs, and everyone in my community who has stood by me. I cannot thank you enough for helping me get through this difficult time.”

An emergency meeting was later held at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple in Smethwick, a few miles from Oldbury, following concerns within the community.

Police are still trying to identify the perpetrators of the attack, which they say is being treated as “racially aggravated”.

Officers said CCTV, forensic and other enquiries are well underway, but have appealed for anyone in the area who may have seen the men, or have any further information, to contact the force.

One of the men is described as having a shaved head, of heavy build, and was reported to be wearing a dark coloured sweatshirt and gloves.

The second man was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.