Hundreds of far-right protesters marched through Manchester on Saturday in a demonstration organised by Britain First, a political party calling for the deportation of migrants and Muslims from the United Kingdom. Chanting anti-immigration slogans and insults directed at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the group was met by a much larger counterprotest of antifascist demonstrators carrying antiracist banners and Palestinian flags. Police flanked both groups as tensions escalated when the two marches converged in the city centre.

Several counterprotesters described the event as a reflection of growing racism in the UK. Ruby, a student from South London, said her grandparents from the Windrush generation now feel increasingly unwelcome, while others reported a rise in racial abuse. Members of Jewish Action for Palestine and other groups criticised police for allowing the far-right march to proceed, accusing authorities of protecting extremist groups.

Police said the day required extensive planning due to multiple simultaneous events, including a Ukraine rally and football matches, which stretched local resources and complicated crowd control efforts.