London Mayor Sadiq Khan placed the city on high alert on Wednesday, as far-right protests against asylum seekers arrived in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods in England's capital.
Anti-immigrant protests began in the United Kingdom last week, after three children were killed in a stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed event, and several others were critically injured. Initial reports indicated that the suspect was a Muslim migrant, prompting outrage from far-right conservatives, but police have since said the 17-year-old was born in Wales.
Now the unrest has stretched into neighborhoods in London with large immigrant populations, including neighborhoods like Finchley and Harrow. Counter-protesters have also joined the demonstrations, pushing back on the anti-immigrant rhetoric with signs that read "Racists Out, Refugees In," according to NBC News.
"For those intent on spreading hatred and fear in our city over the coming days, our message is clear: if you break the law, you will be arrested and face the full force of the law," Khan said in a statement posted to X.
"In London, we have zero-tolerance for racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism or any form of hate and we pride ourselves on being open, diverse and welcoming of all faiths and backgrounds," he continued in a second post. "Those who seek to divide our communities will never win."
London’s Metropolitan Police said it has deployed thousands of officers around the city to help protect civilians, and potential targets like immigration law specialists. Business owners have also closed their offices amid the protests.
“We’ll protect those people," London Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley said. "It is completely unacceptable, regardless of your political views, to intimidate any sector of lawful activity, and we will not let the immigration asylum system be intimidated."
British police officers have arrested nearly 400 people since the riots began last week, after the rioters set fire to a library, looted stores, and broke into hotels that housed some asylum seekers, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
London's court system has also adjusted its hours for judges to help streamline any new arrests from the protests.
