Police clash as about 110,000 join anti-migrant London protest

First, identified linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. Home Office (already linked in article)
2. Restoring Control over the Immigration System
3. RQF Level 6
4. English language requirements
5. Innovator Founder visa now costs £1,274
6. Immigration Skills Charge increased

Now the article with only the allowed .gov links added (maximum 5), inserting links at the first mention of each resource in the body text and preserving all content and formatting exactly. Existing links unchanged.

(LONDON) Police and protesters clashed across central London on September 13, 2025, as an anti-migrant protest under the banner “Unite the Kingdom”, led by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, drew an estimated up to 150,000 people, making it one of the largest such rallies in recent years.

Scotland Yard said 26 officers were injured and 25 people were arrested for offences that included assault and public disorder. Officers reported attempts by groups to reach hotels used to house asylum seekers, with flares set off and projectiles thrown. That prompted baton charges and cordons to hold lines.

The protest’s sheer scale and intensity underscored growing strain around the United Kingdom’s migration policies and the slow transition away from hotel accommodation for asylum seekers. Organizers and followers framed the event as a pushback against current asylum and work-visa rules, while civil society groups warned of rising street violence linked to online misinformation.

A smaller counter-demonstration, organised by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) and joined by several MPs, gathered about 5,000 people nearby. They chanted in support of refugees and urged calm.

Police deployment, mobilisation and online coordination

Police said about 1,500 officers were deployed in London, with another 500 drafted from other regions as numbers swelled beyond expectations. Officers blamed online networks for rapid mobilisation and sudden surges at flashpoints.

• Far-right groups used Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram to coordinate.
• Activity on X (formerly Twitter) expanded after Tommy Robinson’s account was reinstated.
• Senior officers said inflammatory posts and false claims helped fuel confrontations, echoing patterns from rallies in July and August.

Police urged people to avoid sharing unverified claims, noting several scuffles began after false stories circulated online about alleged crimes near hotels.

Policy shifts driving tensions

At the heart of the anger is a major reset of immigration policy unveiled by the Labour government in a May white paper titled “Restoring Control over the Immigration System.” The plan, published on May 12, 2025, raises entry bars for work visas and extends the wait for long-term residents to settle.

Key elements include:
– Settlement (ILR) extended to 10 years for most Points Based System migrants and their families, up from five years.
– Skills threshold raised so sponsored roles generally require degree-level qualifications (RQF Level 6), with more than a hundred occupations removed from eligibility.
– Social care worker route closed to new overseas applicants.
– English language requirements increased for main applicants and, newly for many, for dependants.
– Fees increased by about 5–10% in April 2025; for example, the Innovator Founder visa now costs £1,274.
– Immigration Skills Charge increased by about 32%, to £1,320 per year for large sponsors and £480 for small sponsors.

Some changes, including the raised skills bar and the closure of the social care route, took effect on July 22, 2025. Settlement and citizenship reforms remain subject to Parliament and consultation, with officials indicating late 2025 or 2026 for final rules.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the extended path to settlement will reshape how families plan housing, schooling, and careers — especially for those who had expected to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years.

Impact on migrants, employers and communities

The new rules bring real trade-offs. For migrants and employers:

• Longer path to settlement: more years of visa renewals, higher cumulative costs, and prolonged uncertainty.
• Work visa skills bar: fewer options for lower-skilled roles, increasing pressure on local hiring and training.
• Social care route closure: intensifies staffing problems in care homes; unfilled job ads and concerns about rising wait times for support.
• Higher fees and charges: greater financial burden on workers and sponsoring employers, especially small firms.

For local communities, continued use of hotels for asylum seekers remains a flashpoint. Ministers say they aim to end hotel use, but the shift to other sites is slow and depends on local planning.

• Protesters targeted hotel locations.
• Campaigners stressed that asylum seekers have no say in placements and need faster, fairer decisions rather than public taunts.

Political and business responses

Political responses split along familiar lines:

• Reform UK figures backed the anti-migrant protest and called for mass removals and legal action against hotel contracts.
• Several Conservative MPs welcomed moves to close specific sites on safety grounds.
• The Labour government said it understood local concerns and promised steadier processing and stricter rules, though it faced criticism from within for echoing hard-line language.
• Plaid Cymru and the Green Party rejected the rhetoric around the demonstration and urged humane treatment and timely casework.

Business groups and care providers warn the new work visa rules may move too far, too fast. They say:

• Real pay and training changes take time.
• Sudden cuts to sponsored roles will strain services in logistics, hospitality and manufacturing.
• The Migration Advisory Committee is reviewing the temporary shortage list and will continue advising where gaps persist.

Academics and policy analysts point to the role of social media in turning local frustration into national flashpoints, noting how rumours about hotel residents can spread within hours and draw crowds.

Practical advice and next steps for affected individuals and employers

For individuals weighing visa options, timing and preparation are key:

1. Check if job offers meet RQF Level 6 skills and salary thresholds.
2. Budget for extra renewals and potential English tests given the 10-year settlement timeline.
3. Employers should account for higher costs due to fee increases and the Immigration Skills Charge, and consider expanding training pipelines.

The Home Office has said it will keep publishing updates as changes move through Parliament and into guidance. Readers can track policy updates and public statements on the Home Office website. Civil society groups, including the TUC, continue to call for better worker protections and stronger action against hate crimes linked to protests.

Evening developments and outlook

As evening fell on September 13, police dispersed crowds in stages, but scattered confrontations continued near transport hubs and hotel zones. By night’s end:

• Officers reported multiple injuries and recorded shouted threats on video, which detectives are reviewing as part of the 25 arrests.
• SUTR leaders thanked supporters for a peaceful counter-presence and urged the government to speed up processing and move asylum seekers out of hotels into stable housing.

The “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration and the response it triggered suggest a difficult autumn as rules bite and emotions run high. With further protests likely, the balance between public order, free speech, and humane migration control will continue to test lawmakers and communities.

The key question: can clear communication, careful policing, and steady policy work cool the streets — or will more weekends end with sirens, smashed glass, and fear for those caught in the middle?