Four counter-protesters arrested during Ukip march in central London

Four counter-protesters have been arrested during a protest by the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) in central London, the Metropolitan Police said.

The protesters were arrested after appearing along a route designated for the Ukip march, in breach of conditions put in place by the force.

Supporters of the party were due to gather in Tower Hamlets on Saturday, but were banned from doing so by the Met because of what officers called a “realistic prospect of serious disorder” due to it’s large Muslim population.

Around 75 Ukip demonstrators instead gathered in front of the London Oratory, a catholic church in Kensington, west London, carrying wooden crosses and England fans, before setting off on a march towards Marble Arch.

The demonstration is part of a series of events taking place across the UK which were promoted as a “mass deportations tour”, with organisers calling on attendees to “reclaim Whitechapel from the Islamists”, Ukip’s X profile said.

Protesters carried a banner which read “Islamist invaders not welcome in Britain” and chanted “send them back”.

There was a large police presence at the meeting point for the march, with police vans and motorbikes parked nearby.

Protesters taking part in a counter-protest, organised by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), were restricted from gathering in an area of central London including where the Ukip protest was due to take place.

“Four counter-protesters who appeared along the route in breach of the conditions in place and refused to leave have been arrested,” the Met said in a statement on X on Saturday afternoon.

Currently, no arrests have been made during the Ukip demonstration.