Two charged after central London protests

Two people have been charged after protests in central London at the weekend.

Stuart Adams, 49, who attended a far-right demonstration on Saturday, was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence for allegedly shouting racially abusive remarks at a police officer, police said.

The second person charged was at a pro-Palestine demonstration: Dara Harbison, 26, was charged with assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage and possession of cannabis.

More than 4,000 police officers were deployed to the capital on Saturday to keep the two protest groups apart. A total of 43 arrests were made.

Officers managed a so-called "sterile zone" between the Unite the Kingdom rally organised by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, and the pro-Palestinian Nakba Day demonstration.

Of those arrested, 20 were linked to the Unite the Kingdom protest, 12 were affiliated with the Nakba protest, while the remaining 11 arrests were not linked to either group, or their affiliation has not been confirmed, the Metropolitan Police said.

On Monday, a further arrest was made when Met Police officers travelled to Plymouth to detain a 28-year-old man on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred.

It is alleged that he was pictured at the Nakba Day rally holding a sign that called for people to be hanged, the force said.

About 60,000 people are estimated to have joined Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march on Saturday, and between 15,000 and 20,000 attended the Nakba Day rally, the Met said.

Adams, of Aberconway Road, Merton, south London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, and Harbison from Netherfield Green, Brighton, East Sussex, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 6 July.

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