London police arrest dozens during right-wing and pro-Palestinian protests

London’s police department has arrested nearly three dozen people who attended rival protests in the United Kingdom on Saturday.

An anti-Islam rally was organized by right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, while a separate protest was simultaneously held to celebrate Nakba Day. It is an annual day of commemoration and national mourning for Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

At least 31 arrests were conducted during the police operation that covered both protests and an anticipated soccer match at a nearby stadium in London, the Metropolitan Police said on social media around 4:30 p.m. local time. No details have been provided on which side saw more arrests.

The number of arrests could rise depending on a future update from police. Both protests concluded Saturday afternoon after a couple of hours.

Metropolitan Police officials described the security operation designed to handle the day of rival protests as “unprecedented.” Roughly 4,000 officers were deployed for