Far-right groups clash with police amid counter rallies to pro-Palestine march

Far-right counter protestors have clashed with police in London before the two-minutes’ silence passed undisturbed on Armistice Day.

Footage showed crowds barging past police and climbing on bollards on Saturday morning as counter protesters were penned in on Whitehall.

Crowds of men were chanting and climbing on bollards with pockets of disorder breaking out. However silence fell at 11am as two-minutes silence was observed.

English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson as among the crowds gathered on Whitehall after he issued a rallying cry to his supporters to turn out to “defend” the Cenotaph.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police used its powers to ban pro-Palestinian marchers from Whitehall, but insisted counter protestors including far right groups would be allowed inside the exclusion zone because they would “not cause serious disorder by themselves”.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who is in charge of the police operation, said on Friday: “Counter protest will be allowed in Whitehall, because the sole purpose their intention is to protect the sanctity of the Cenotaph and Remembrance.

“So I don’t anticipate there will be any disorder from that group. The disorder will come from a pro-Palestinian group going in that are whilst they are there, if they are there.”

He added: “I do believe if the groups come together there will be serious disorder. That’s why I’ve put conditions in place, to prevent that from happening.”

The Met Police said: “While the two minutes’ silence was marked respectfully and without incident on Whitehall, officers have faced aggression from counter protestors who are in the area in significant numbers.

“The counter protestors are not one cohesive group. There are different groups moving away from Whitehall towards other parts of central London.

“Officers are keeping track of them as they do. If their intention is to confront the main protest departing later today from Park Lane, we will use all the powers and tactics available to us to prevent that from happening.”

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