The demonstrations came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting political pressure from both the opposition and factions within his ruling Labour Party.
At the same time, tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through the capital to mark Nakba Day, commemorating the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948.
London’s Metropolitan Police deployed more than 4,000 officers on Saturday, supported by police dogs, helicopters, drones, and live facial-recognition technology, amid concerns that the Unite the Kingdom rally could clash with the pro-Palestinian demonstration taking place elsewhere in the city.
The Met later confirmed that 11 people had been arrested for a range of offenses.
Political pressure on Starmer’s government intensified further after Wes Streeting, the former British health secretary who resigned from the government this week, announced that he would run to replace the prime minister once a leadership contest is triggered.
The development has fueled speculation over a potential leadership crisis within the ruling Labour Party, at a time when the UK government is grappling with sluggish economic growth, rising living costs, and widening social divisions.
