List of protests in the United Kingdom

This is a list of protests and protest movements in the United Kingdom. Protest in the UK has concerned issues such as suffrage in the 19th and early 20th centuries, parliamentary reform from the Chartists to the present day, poverty, wages and working conditions, fuel prices, war, human rights, immigration (both for and against), fathers' rights, LGBTQ rights and climate change. In Northern Ireland, protest marches have been particularly contentious, including Bloody Sunday.

Around April 2019 London's Metropolitan Police decided, as a matter of policy, to stop providing crowd estimates unless there were specific reasons to do so (criminal justice, national security). This policy appears to have been reversed in late 2023, with the media reporting official police estimates for crowds from October that year, as shown in the table.

By size

Entries are sorted by the organisers’ estimate of attendance (descending). + Date Protest Cause Organisers Location Attendance Organisers' estimate Police estimate Third-party estimates15 February 2003Stop the WarIraq WarStop the War Coalition (StWC)London1,500,000750,000"around a million"23 March 2019Put it to the People marchSecond EU referendumPeople's Vote, European Movement UK, Open BritainLondon1,000,000312,000 to 400,00019 October 2019Let Us Be HeardSecond EU referendumPeople's Vote, European Movement UK, Open BritainLondon1,000,000105,000 to 216,000 The article cites estimates calculated using two methodologies by researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University. It also mentions a hypothetical figure of 400,000 arrived at by assuming the assembly area and the march route were both full at the same time, when in reality the assembly area was "fairly empty" during the march.11 November 2023PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)London800,000300,00020 October 2018People's Vote marchSecond EU referendumPeople's Vote, European Movement UK, Open BritainLondon700,000Toby Helm, Michael Savage and Eleni Courea, "Almost 700,000 march to demand ‘people’s vote’ on Brexit deal", The Guardian, 20 October 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2023. The organisers initially estimated 570,000 then revised up to 670,000. When media outlets started rounding to 700,000, the organisers adopted this "new" estimate as their own.250,000450,00011 October 2025PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)London600,000100,00028 March 2026Together Alliance: March Against The Far RightAnti-racismTogether AllianceLondon500,00050,00026 March 2011March for the AlternativeAusterityTrades Union Congress (TUC)London500,000250,000 (more than) 13 September 2025 Unite the Kingdom Anti-immigration Tommy Robinson London 110,000 up to 150,000, 56,000-76,00028 October 2023PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon50,000 to 70,00022 March 2003Stop the WarIraq WarStop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)London500,000 (StWC), 200,000-300,000 (CND)200,00023 September 2002Liberty & LivelihoodHunting and countryside causesCountryside AllianceLondon407,791400,00022 October 1983CND march for peaceNuclear weaponsCampaign for Nuclear DisarmamentLondon400,000200,00024 September 2002Stop the WarIraq WarStop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain (MAB)London400,000150,000 16 May 2026Pro-Palestine MarchNakba DayPalestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition London 250,000 20,000 24 October 1981CND march for peaceNuclear weaponsCampaign for Nuclear DisarmamentLondon250,00013 July 2018Stop TrumpTrump's visit to the UKVariousLondon250,00040,0002 July 2005Make Poverty HistoryRaise awareness of global povertyVarious, coordinated by British Overseas NGOs for Development (bond)Edinburgh225,000225,000225,00023 November 1985Ulster Says NoAnglo-Irish AgreementDemocratic Unionist Party, Ulster Unionist PartyBelfast203,000100,00018 November 2003George W. Bush's state visit to the UKGeorge W. Bush's Foreign Policy (Bush Doctrine)Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Muslim Association of BritainLondon200,000100,0003 February 2024PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon20,00030 March 2024PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon200,000 31 March 19901990 Poll tax protestPoll taxAll Britain Anti-Poll Tax FederationLondon200,000200,00022 May 2021PSC March for Palestine2021 Israel–Palestine crisisPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon180,000"tens of thousands" 26 March 2022UK with UkraineRussian invasion of UkraineEuropean Movement UK, Mayor of LondonLondon"tens of thousands"1 April 1961Aldermaston MarchesNuclear weaponsCampaign for Nuclear DisarmamentLondon to Berkshire150,00045,00021 October 2023PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon100,00025 November 2023PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon45,00017 February 2024PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon30,00031 January 20092009 BTF protestTamil genocide Sri Lanka's genocide of TamilsBritish Tamils ForumLondon100,000+50,00026 November 2023March Against AntisemitismRise in antisemitismCampaign Against AntisemitismLondon100,00050,0009 December 2023PSC March for PalestineGaza warPalestine Solidarity CampaignLondon40,00017 March 1968Grosvenor Square peace marchVietnam WarVietnam Solidarity CampaignLondon100,00020,00010,00018 November 2001Stop the warAfghanistan WarStop the War CoalitionLondon100,00015,0006 November 2021COP26 Nature Day march & rallyClimate changeCOP26 CoalitionGlasgow100,00050,00020 September 2019September 2019 Youth Climate StrikesClimate changeUK Student Climate NetworkLondon100,00023 June 2018People's Vote MarchSecond EU referendumPeople's Vote, European Movement UK, Open BritainLondon100,000 26 July 2025 Trans Pride Trans rights London Trans+ Pride London 100,000 100,00018 March 2006Stop British involvement in the Iraq WarIraq WarStop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Muslim Association of BritainLondon80,000-100,00015,00015 February 2003Stop the WarIraq WarStop the War CoalitionGlasgow80,000 (more than)30,000100,0004 June 2019Stop TrumpTrump's State Visit to the UKStop Trump coalitionLondon75,000 16 May 2026 Unite the Kingdom Anti-immigration Tommy Robinson London 60,00028 March 1959Aldermaston marchNuclear weaponsCampaign for Nuclear DisarmamentLondon to Berkshire60,00020,00010 November 2010Fund Our Future: Stop Education CutsEducation cutsNational Union of StudentsLondon52,00030,000 to 50,00028 March 2009March for Jobs, Justice & Climate2009 G20 London summitPut People FirstLondon35,00035,00028 February 2020Climate StrikeClimate changeBristol Youth Strike 4 ClimateBristol30,00015,00016 May 1832Meeting of the UnionsSuffrageBirmingham Political UnionBirmingham200,0004 October 1936Battle of Cable StreetAnti-fascist response to the British Union of Fascists march.Various anti-fascist groups: Communists (Communist Party of Great Britain),Socialists, Trade unionists, Anarchists, British Jews, Independent Labour PartyLondon100,000-310,00016 August 1819Gathering at Peterloo (leads to the Peterloo Massacre)Reform parliamentary representationManchester Patriotic UnionManchester60,00010 January 2009Ceasefire in GazaGaza War (2008–2009)Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Palestine Solidarity CampaignLondon20,00050,000

By cause Suffrage and democracy

Chartists Suffragettes Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom Peterloo Massacre Reform League

Poverty

1920 blind march Merthyr Rising Hunger marches, National Hunger March, 1932 Jarrow March Make Poverty History

Labour disputes

See :Category:Labour disputes in the United Kingdom 1842 general strike Welsh coal strike of 1898 Tonypandy riots 1918–1919 United Kingdom police strikes Battle of George Square 1926 United Kingdom general strike Invergordon Mutiny Three-Day Week Grunwick dispute Winter of Discontent 1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike Battle of Orgreave Wapping dispute Liverpool dockers' dispute (1995–1998) 2002–2003 United Kingdom firefighter dispute Gategroup#Disputes and strike action 2009 Lindsey Oil Refinery strikes

Rights 1994 Criminal Justice Bill protests Fathers 4 Justice Gay Liberation Front OutRage! Feminism in the United Kingdom Strangeways Prison riot Gurkha Justice Campaign 2010 United Kingdom student protests George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom COVID-19 protests in the United Kingdom "Kill the Bill" (Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill)

Race and immigration

See also :Category:Race riots in the United Kingdom Battle of Cable Street Bristol Bus Boycott Battle of Lewisham Anti-Nazi League Rock Against Racism Unite Against Fascism Anti-Fascist Action Blair Peach Kevin Gately George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom 2024 United Kingdom riots 2025 Northern Ireland riots 2025 British anti-immigration protests

Taxation

Poll tax riots Fuel protests in the United Kingdom Rebecca Riots Poplar Rates Rebellion UK Uncut

Environment

Campaign against Climate Change Road protest in the United Kingdom List of road protests in the UK and Ireland Twyford Down Newbury bypass Camp for Climate Action Reclaim the Streets Swampy Plane Stupid Stop Esso campaign Frack Off Extinction Rebellion Insulate Britain protests Just Stop Oil Extinction Rebellion Youth

Animal rights Hunt sabotage Countryside Alliance's Liberty & Livelihood March in September 2002, with 400,000 marchers. 2004 invasion of Parliament by pro-hunting protesters Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty Pro-Test

War

Anti-Vietnam War Grosvenor Square riot Protests of 1968 Conscientious objector Stop the War Coalition Brian Haw 15 February 2003 anti-war protests Protests against the war in Afghanistan

Nuclear Committee of 100 (United Kingdom) Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp Faslane Peace Camp

Religion

2006 Islamist demonstration outside the Embassy of Denmark in London Jenny Geddes Prayer Book Rebellion Pilgrimage of Grace Protests against Jerry Springer: The Opera Satanic Verses controversy

Art and culture

Stuckist demonstrations State Britain British protest songs Mark McGowan K Foundation

Foreign policy

Israel lobby in the United Kingdom 2009 Tamil diaspora protests 2008 Olympic torch relay protests 2008 Pro-Tibetan protests 2008-2009 Gaza War protests Global Day of Action for Burma Gaza war protests in the United Kingdom

Anti-capitalist/anti-globalisation

2009 G20 London summit protests Carnival Against Capital 2005 G8 protests in Gleneagles Stop the City May Day protests since 2000 Occupy movement in the United Kingdom

Troubles in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association 1969 Northern Ireland riots Battle of the Bogside Parades in Northern Ireland Drumcree conflict Bloody Sunday Blanket protest Dirty protest 1981 Irish hunger strike Ulster Says No

Other Bedroom Tax protests Red Clydeside Luddites Swing Riots Radical War Tolpuddle Martyrs Temperance movement Skeleton Army "Put It To The People" anti-Brexit march (2019)

See also Civil liberties in the United Kingdom History of radicalism in the United Kingdom Lobbying in the United Kingdom :Category:Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom Speakers' Corner :Category:Riots and civil disorder in the United Kingdom Renouncing a British honour Student activism in the UK :Category:Rebellions in the United Kingdom and Ireland :Category:British activists

References

Further reading

External links

Scottish Parliament e-petitions